Takoradi, March. 16, GNA - Dr. Linda Vanotoo, Western Regional Director of the Ghana Health Service, on Wednesday, said although the number of maternal deaths had reduced, the region still recorded huge numbers of stillbirths.

She noted that, the number of pregnant women monitored during labour, were low in some health issues, which called for more attention, in order to improve on child survival in the region. Dr. Vanotoo was speaking at the third Promote Maternal Infant Survival Excellence (PROMISE) conference at Takoradi.

She noted that, there was the need to address specific contributory factors that had led to the rise in stillbirths. The conference, under the theme: 91Child Survival, for Healthier Happier Nation' would be used as a platform to develop and implement simple but innovative and efficient strategies, to further improve on the success chalked in the area of maternal, newborn and child health. Dr. Vanotoo said the PROMISE concept, introduced in 2009, was as a result of the unacceptably high institutional maternal deaths and stillbirths recorded annually in the region. She said so far PROMISE had yielded good results and had helped in attaining the desired outcome of pregnancy, which is to save the lives of women, newborns and children, as well as, bringing joy to the family.

Dr. Vanotoo added that the concept also sought to develop strategies to reduce maternal, newborn and child health, reposition newborn care in service delivery, as well as, map out new strategies for the provision of service to help in achieving the MDGs 4, 5 and 6. Another positive response was that hospitals and health centres had developed their own plans and involved communities on how to improve maternal health, she said.

Mr Paul Evans Aidoo, Western Regional Minister, in a speech read on his behalf, said it was unacceptable for women to loose their lives whiles giving births.

"I declare my full support for this laudable initiative and to encourage MMDAs to embrace it fully, offer their support to ensure that district specific initiatives succeed and achieve desired results", he added.

Mr Aidoo noted that the initiative was in line with government's policy to improve maternal and child health and called on stakeholders to assist with the needed financial and technical support, to ensure that the concept achieved its goal of healthier families. 16 March 11