Accra, April 5 GNA- The Government of Luxemburg and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) are to support pregnant women with one million Euros to enable them attend regular antennal care at the various health Centres. The programme, which begins next January would cover 600 households in the Dangme West where each pregnant woman would receive $10 a month to enable her to attend regular medical check-ups. It is expected that the first five years of the programme would help build strong and healthy children for the country. Ms. Veronika Wodsak, Health Policy Officer, Social Security Department, International Labour Organisation (ILO) said the idea behind the global social trust was to extend the high levels of social protection being enjoyed by Europeans workers to other countries. She said through a solidarity financing mechanism transferred funds from Europe, workers would support the social trust to contribute gradually to build a stronger social protection mechanism everywhere. She commended Ghana for making great progress towards strengthening social protection. "You have built up the National Health Insurance Scheme and the Livelihood Empowerment against Poverty Programme," she added.

Mr Armand Drews, a City Councillor from Luxemburg said the social trust programme would focus on maternal and child health in order to build a strong and healthy future for Ghana. He said, even though the initial programme is small it would be extended to cover many other homes in the future. Dr George Sipa Yankey, Minister of Health commended the two organizations for their concerns towards Ghana, especially the poor people in the country. He said this would go along way to address some of the challenges faced by pregnant who do not have the means to pay for transport to attend regular antennal check ups to ensure healthy delivery. He urged other institutions to emulate these two and adopt other districts in the country to extend the programme nationwide. Dr Yankey also called for support for neglected tropical disease such as Buruli ulcer, among others to reduce their infection in the country. 05 April 09