Ho, Dec. 21, GNA - Dr. Winfred Ofosu, Senior Medical Officer In-charge of Public Health in the Volta Region last Friday observed that the introduction of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) would boost the fight against the high maternal mortality in the country. This is because, spiralling cost of quality health delivery, has put such services out of the reach of many pregnant women, some of whom are only rushed to the hospitals as a last resort.

Dr Ofosu was launching Safe Motherhood Week in the Volta Region under the theme "Maternal Deaths Are Preventable: Act Now" in Ho. He said in the Volta Region only 40 per cent of births are under any form of supervision thereby exposing a large number of pregnant women to risks during delivery.

Dr Ofosu said since there was no reliable way of predicting which pregnancy would develop complications all pregnancies must be seen "through to term" by skilled hands.

He listed long waiting time, inadequate emergency preparedness, limited medical supplies and few and exhausted staff as some of the factors at the health facilities that must be addressed as part of measures to reduce the high maternal mortality rates in the region. He said in the Volta Region, the statistics of 360 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2001 and 346 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2002, were not good enough.

Dr Ofosu said activities for the week to address the issue of high maternal mortality and morbidity in the region and to improve the knowledge of women in safe motherhood matters would be extended to all districts and communities.

Ms Regina Cudjoe, Regional Matron said it was important that all Nurses took their turn for night duty and that the situation where some went on night duty permanently could make them less dutiful at post.