Accra, March 8, GNA - The Ministry of Health on Wednesday directed that all new born babies being detained in the various Neonatal Intensive Care Units of all the Teaching and Regional Hospitals due to their parents' inability to settle the cost of incubation and delivery should be released with immediate effect and their indebtedness written off.

The Ministry said the total cost of this relief, which was more than 500 million cedis was part of efforts by the Health Sector towards the recognition of the role of women in national development. A statement signed by Mr Dan Osman Mwin, Public Relations Officer, said the action was in commemoration of the International Women's Day celebration in Ghana.

The statement said all women in Ghana, especially those in the reproductive age group should take family planning more seriously. "Women should take a lead role in planning their giving birth because the burden of unplanned and unwanted pregnancies falls heavily on them . and see every challenge as an opportunity to take control of their own lives."

The statement also asked men to learn to be very responsible in taking care of their wives, children and their unborn ones. It urged all women and men to register with the National Health Insurance Schemes to enable them to access free medical treatment including safe motherhood and to prevent future detention, which caused embarrassment to both men and women.