PPH Strategy launched to reduce maternal mortalityPPH Strategy launched to reduce maternal mortality

Accra, Jan. 9, GNA - The Ghana Health Service, (GHS), Thursday launched a Postpartum Haemorrhage (PPH) Strategy as part of efforts to accelerate the reduction of maternal mortality in the country.   With technical and funding support from PATH, the strategy outlines the causes of PPH and also identifies activities for preventing and managing as well as roles of various stakeholders including ministries, departments and agencies, civil society organisations, healthcare institution, community leaders and members.PATH drives transfomative innovation in pursuit of a bold vision: a world where health is within reach for everyone, no matter where they live.Haemorrhage, especially in the postpartum period is the leading cause of maternal death in Ghana. Postpartum is the period immediately after childbirth.Health Minister Sherry Ayittey, who launched the strategy said though PPH  could not be predicted it could be avoided and said it was better for pregnant women to plan for facility-based delivery so that in case of complications like excessive bleeding or some other problems, an  immediate management could be instituted.She said losing pregnant women during childbirth was unacceptable and noted that all hands should be on deck to nib it in the bud as part of the pursuit of the Millennium Development Goals. For that reason Municipal Chief Executives have been tasked to put in place measures to ensure that maternal mortality is reduced in their district as it forms part of their performance assessment.She also called for the elimination of taboos that prevent women from seeking medical attention and eating healthy diets during pregnancy and encouraged queen mothers to help in that direction.Government would soon decongest the Teaching Hospitals, get additional theatres, build more polyclinics and over 1600 Community Health Centre (CHPS) compounds in remote and vulnerable areas,  60 more Ambulance stations and also equip health centres in hard –to- reach areas to provide quality health service to women and ensure universal access to health care.This she said was to augment health sector innovation for managing health issues which have been developed and noted that it was her expectation that training in the use of gadgets such as anti-shocks garment, uterine balloon or condom tamponades would be widely rolled out so that emergency  management of PPH could reach  every health centre in the country.The role of the National Blood Bank ,the Health Minister said was important in the management of PPH as women may need blood transfusion as a life saving measure.She therefore called on Ghanaians to show kindness and donate massively to stock the blood bank to save lives.    She also tasked the Ghana Health Service to provide the MOH with statistics to be able to mobilise resources for the implementation of the strategy.Dr Ebenezer Appiah-Denkyira, Director General of GHS called for team work among all health workers to improve the lot of Ghanaian women.He said with the advancement of technology there was no excuse for failure of the strategy and many others launched to help improve health delivery in the country.Dr Baafour Opoku, a obstetrician/Gynaecologist at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital and Dr Patrick Aboagye, Deputy Director of Family Health, GHS took participants through the background, purpose and content of the PPH strategy.GNA Read Full Story