By Albert Futukpor
Tamale, Sept 17, GNA – Ten Municipal and District Health Directorates in four regions in the north have taken delivery of 20 motorbikes with crash helmets and raincoats as part of efforts to tackle maternal and child health concerns.
The beneficiary Municipal and District Health Directorates were Yendi, Gushegu, Nanumba North, Central Gonja, Nabdam, Talensi, West Gonja, Mamprugu-Moaduri, East Mamprusi and West Mamprusi, which are in the Northern, North East, Savannah and Upper East Regions.
The motorbikes were donated to the beneficiary’s health directorates as part of the Holistic Opportunities for Positive Engagement in Maternal and Child Health (HOPE-MCH) project, which is being implemented by the Catholic Relief Services (CRS), an international NGO.
The project is aimed at enhancing access to and utilisation of maternal and newborn services for children under three years old, their mothers and pregnant women, addressing critical factors contributing to maternal and child health concerns.
It is funded by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in partnership with the Hunger Project, MAP International, Vitamin Angels, Ghana Health Service, and the National Ambulance Service.
Mr Abubakari Abdul-Ganiu Konlan, Technical Advisor on the HOPE-MCH project, speaking at a ceremony in Tamale to present the motorbikes to the beneficiaries, said “We are optimistic that under this intervention, no woman dies in giving birth and every child delivered survives to fullfil their potential.”
The ceremony was also to sign a service agreement with the Ghana Health Service to enable it led capacity building activities for its staff to ensure quality health care services.
Mr Konlan said the project also sought to address poor maternal literacy on Emergency Obstetric and Newborn care, enhance access to and provision of definitive care amongst others.
Dr Abdulai Abukari, Northern Regional Director of Health, who signed the service agreement and received the motorbikes on behalf of the beneficiaries, expressed gratitude to the CRS and partners for their generous support to address maternal and child health services, especially in deprived communities.
Mr Awuni Mbabila, East Mamprusi Municipal Director of Health also thanked partners for their commitment to improving health care services in the beneficiary areas and appealed to other organisations to support the health sector.
GNA