Set up Maternal Health Trust Fund (9/5/09)

THE Ghana Registered Midwives Association (GRMA) has called on the government to set up a Maternal Health Trust Fund for training more midwives to add up to the existing numbers.
It said training more midwives would help replace the ageing ones in the system, with the young trained ones assisting in reducing maternal mortality.
The Chairperson of the association, Mrs Evelyn Hammond-Aryee, made the call at a women’s forum organised by the GRMA as part of this year’s International Midwives Day, which fell on May 5.
The forum sought to bring women groups together to interact and share knowledge on health-related issues.
Mrs Hammond-Aryee noted that in order for the Millennium Development Goals to be achieved, there should be a well-educated midwifery workforce within the health service to maintain high standards and quality care.
“Having a skilled professional at child birth protects the life of the mother and the child by recognising problems early enough, especially at a time the situation can be controlled,” she added.
The Deputy Minister for Women and Children’s Affair, Ms Hawa Boya Gariba, acknowledged the role midwives played and congratulated them on the enormous work they did for the nation.
She said the ministry, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, would continue to promote reproductive health to reduce maternal and infant mortality and morbidity.
Ms Gariba, therefore, called on other health care professionals such as doctors to provide skilled care during pregnancy, child birth and emergencies when life-threatening complications developed.
Present at the forum were the Prison Officers Wives Association (PROWA), women in the security service, midwives, nurses, among others.