KOICA supports MoH with $6m for maternal health
The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), has offered a US$6 million grant to the Ministry of Health (MoH) to support a maternal and child health care project in the Volta Region. Advertisement
The project dubbed, “Improving Maternal and Child Health in the Volta Region,” would be undertaken within five years in Keta, Ketu South and North districts.
The aim of the project is to improve maternal and child health care provided by skilled health personnel through the capacity building of health personnel in the region.
It is also to reduce maternal and infant mortality by increasing awareness among the people in the community.
Speaking at the signing ceremony in Accra, the Resident, Representative of KOICA in Ghana, Mr Cho Kwangeol, said in May, 2013, findings of a survey conducted in the Keta, Ketu North and South districts by the Ghana Health Service (GHS) in collaboration with the Yonsei University in Korea revealed that more than one-third of pregnant women visited the antenatal clinic in their second trimester.
Also, about 80 per cent of pregnant women attended antenatal clinics not more than four times, and the awareness of the signs and symptoms of pregnancy complications were low. Very few pregnant women patronised the services of the health centre.
Mr Kwangeol also said personnel directly involved in maternal and child health were limited in the districts, while essential tools and materials for health care delivery were not available in almost all the facilities.
“Even when they are available, they were largely not functional and required urgent replacement,” he said.
Other Trending Stories
Mr Kwangeol said the project would concerntrate on the training of midwives, capacity building and the improvement of community health facilities.
He expressed optimism that the project would help Ghana achieve the Millennium Development Goal (MDGs) on child and maternal mortality.
The Minister of Health, Ms Sherry Aryeetey, in her remarks said the project was crucial and could not have come at a better time to accelerate the achievements of the MDG goals four and five by 2015.
She said the country faced a peculiar problem of ageing midwives, adding that there was the need to train younger ones to take up the challenge in the health care delivery system.
She, therefore, lauded KOICA for their support and gave the assurance that the project would be implemented to the core in order to achieve its objective.
By Zainabu Issah