Newborn Champions to help reduce neo-natal mortality
An advocacy group has been formed to spearhead efforts at reducing neo-natal mortality in Ghana.
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Known as Newborn Champions, the group has so far undergone a training programme to enhance the skills in advocacy on newborn health to reach policy makers and corporate bodies for resources for the effort.
The champions include a Pediatric Surgeon, Professor Afua Hesse; the CEO of Premier Productions Group, Nanahemaa Adwoa Awindor; the host of the Stand Point, Nanayere Gifty Anti and the Executive Director of Salt and Light Ministries, the Rev. Dr Joyce Aryee.
Others are Musician Sarkodie; Banker Kobby Mannoh; the Chief Imam, Shiekh Dr Osmanu Nuju Shaributu and Archbishop Palmer Buckle, among others.
The training session, organised by the Ghana Health Service in collaboration with PATH in Global Health, was for the champions to brainstorm on how to engage the public on the need to ensure babies live beyond their first 28 days.
Over the years, efforts to reduce newborn deaths have not seen significant improvement. Statistics from the Ghana Health Service indicate that 29 neo-natal deaths are recorded per 1000 live births. This accounts for more than 40 per cent of the under-five mortality in Ghana.
Trend in Ghana
The leading cause of newborn deaths in Ghana is infection, which accounts for 32 per cent of neonatal deaths. That is closely followed by prematurity and low birth weight, which also accounts for 27 per cent. Asphyxia accounts for 23 per cent of the deaths. These causes have been linked in many cases to harmful and outmoded traditional beliefs and practices during pregnancy, delivery and immediately after delivery.
To curb this trend, the Ghana National Newborn Health Strategy and Action Plan, spanning 2014 t0 2018, was developed.
The target is to reduce the current neonatal mortality figure of 29 per 1000 live births to 21 per 1000 live births by 2018.
Among some of the key action points agreed on by Champions to meet the 2018 deadline were to ensure that babies were given names even before they were born and dispelling the social belief that newborns are ‘visitors’ until they survive a week or beyond.
Efforts
The Champions were, therefore, charged to be the voice for newborns by using their platforms to lead the campaign to reduce neonatal mortality in the country.
The Champions on their part pledged to use their various platforms to educate pregnant women on the need to fully recognise babies as part of a family.
That, they maintained, would ensure that maximum value was placed on the baby so that every effort was made to keep him or her alive.
Some of the Champions in the medical field also pledged to ensure names of babies were provided at the “name of baby column” in the folders of newly delivered women who attend postnatal clinics.
The Champions emphasised the need for public education through media campaigns, interviews, talk shows and mini documentaries.
They also agreed to send clear messages through traditional and news media platforms, churches, traditional leaders, particularly queen mothers, to educate and change perceptions deep rooted in culture, which prevented newborns from surviving.