Samira Bawumia, the wife of the vice president, has launched the ‘Safe Delivery Project’ at Salaga in the East Gonja Municipality of the Northern Region.
The theme of project ‘Promoting Safe Deliveries & Ensuring Healthy Infants; Securing Our Future’, will contribute to the reduction in maternal mortality from the current reported level of 319 deaths per 100,000 live births (Ministry of Health, October 2017) to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals’ target of 70 per 100,000 live births.
The project was launched in the East Gonja District because of its high rate of mortality. Mrs Bawumia, in her keynote address, stated that though there are many issues as far as women’s health is concerned in Ghana, maternal health with its associated maternal and neonatal mortality is the greatest and the most heart-breaking.
“It is against this background that my not-for-profit organisation the Samira Empowerment & Humanitarian Projects (SEHP) has initiated the SEHP Safe Delivery Project to support their efforts. The need to improve maternal health and ensure safe deliveries requires attention from all sectors of our society,” she disclosed.
Mrs Bawumia explained that over the next few years, SEHP will provide up to 100,000 well-resourced birth kits to expectant mothers all across the country.
“The kit contains medicines and supplies (Misoprostol tablets, pre-natal and post-natal vitamins and mineral supplements, medicated soap, gauze swab, cord clamps, cord sheet, sterile blade, delivery mat, cord ties, sterile gloves, combine dressing, baby hat, name tag, cord sheets, and methylated spirit) which will all be distributed by trained community based volunteers and health personnel to 100,000 expectant mothers in the worst affected communities in Ghana,” she added.
Mrs Bawumia pointed out that the beneficiaries will receive information on the use, importance and impact of these birth kits and will have their kits with them during labour.
