PATH programme on maternal health progresses
A five-year programme initiated in 2013 by PATH, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) committed to maternal health, is progressing.
Advertisement
Under the programme, known as “Making every baby count initiative (MEBCI),” the organisation aims at supporting the government’s efforts to strengthen healthcare services for newborn babies at various hospitals and health centres in communities that have inadequate infrastructure.
Improving health care
Delivering a lecture on the theme, “Accelerating newborn care through an integrated approach” in Accra last Thursday, the Director of Maternal, Newborn, Child Health and Nutrition of PATH, Dr Cyril Engmann, stated that the primary objective of the organisation’s action plan, was to ensure that about 90 per cent of newborn babies who suffered complications at birth received accessible health care, in order to reduce newborn deaths.
Measures
Dr Engmann said PATH had organised a series of sensitisation programmes in all district hospitals in four regions in the country, namely: Ashanti, Brong Ahafo, Volta and Eastern to educate women on some of the measures that could be taken to prevent the deaths of their babies.
He added that healthcare workers in health facilities in the districts were being taught how to use the “bag and pump” method to help newborn babies who had difficulty in breathing, while women who gave birth to preterm babies were taught the Kangaroo Mothercare, with the baby held very close to the breast of the mother to maintain the body temperature.
Sensitisation programmes
Through the sensitisation programmes, expectant mothers were also taught first aid techniques to save babies as well as what to do before taking the distant trip to the health facility.
They were also encouraged to visit antenatal and postnatal clinics regularly. Dr Engmann stressed that these measures were meant to reduce neonatal deaths, especially among premature babies.
He said the death of a mother or her child was a tragedy to the nation, noting that measures needed to be put in place to reduce such cases.
“We need to do all we can so that the death of even one baby is seen as unacceptable,” he added.
Challenges
Dr Engmann observed that a number of women in the rural areas gave birth in facilities without adequate equipment and human resources, or at home without skilled health workers.
Some of the complications after birth, he mentioned, were caused by unsterilised blades for cutting umbilical cords of the babies that caused infections, and lack of medical supplies.
Global statistics indicate that each year, 2.9 million newborns die within the first month of birth and an additional 2.6 million show no sign of life at birth.
The main causes of newborn mortality, which occurs mostly in developing countries, include complications due to prematurity, complications during delivery and infection.
