There is an indication of rapid increase in the maternal death rate in the Upper West Region of Ghana, as 28 cases has been registered from January to May, this year, a figure it registered throughout the whole of 2012.

This has brought shiver down the spines of the health authorities as they hove not to repeat similar occurrence of 2009 where 43 maternal death cases were recorded.

The statistic shows that the WA Region Hospital registered 13 maternal death, Nandom Hospital with 4 cases, Lawra Hospital three death, Jirapa Hospital three death, Tumu Hospital one death, Sissala Hospital one death, Lambussie Districts one death, while the Daffiama-Bussie-Issa District also registered two deaths.

Presently, many pregnant women at the region are nursing fear because of the inadequate health facilities and the insufficiency of health personnel to help provide quality healthcare in the facilities provided, coupled with the deplorable nature of the roads within this community, which usually causes delay in transporting pregnant women in labour to health facilities on time to receive medical attention.

Speaking at a stakeholders meeting on “Millennial development Goal Five Acceleration Framework’ in WA, the Deputy Upper West Regional Director of Health Services, Dr. Kofi Issah said the delay in recognizing danger signs, bleeding and prolonged labour among other things, were factors influencing maternal deaths in the region.

Dr. Issah however identified poor roads, cost of transportation, inadequate vehicles and vehicles refusing to carry pregnant women with complication for fear of soiling their vehicles or the woman dying in their vehicles as some of the challenges facing maternal healthcare delivery in the region. He then suggested the development of referral systems that links health facilities to community in enhancing regular interactions and community participation in the running of the facility.

He further called for the education of women and their spouses on the danger signs, when and where to seek care for complications, and training of other service providers in counseling skills. There is also the need to assist communities, families and women to develop complication readiness plan, establish good links with traditional authorities, and help communities and individuals to develop financial schemes for emergencies.

Dr. Issah concluded by calling for the improvement in road infrastructure of the region, encourage relevant organizations such as the Ghana Private Road Transport Union to assist pregnant women during emergencies and the effective use of radio communication system to improve the situation.