An audit of maternal mortalities in the Greater Accra Region in 2016 revealed that bleeding and hypertension were the leading causes of maternal mortality.
Last year, out of a total of 197 maternal deaths, 100 were attributed to bleeding.
A statement signed by the Deputy Director, Clinical Care Division of the Greater Accra Directorate of the Ghana Health Service, Madam Sarah Amissah-Bamfo, said during childbirth, women could lose large amounts of blood, with some having to receive between six and 10 units of blood to survive.
Unfortunately, the blood banks in the region are not always able to meet the demand.
Maternal death
Maternal death is the death of any woman that occurs during pregnancy, labour and six weeks after birth due to preventable factors.
Appeal
The Greater Accra Regional Health Directorate is, therefore, appealing to the general public to donate blood as part of efforts to prevent these avoidable deaths.
The region is organising a regional bleeding day as a campaign to solicit for voluntary blood to be stored in the blood banks to save the lives of women, and it is scheduled for Monday, May 1, 2017, at the Maternity Pavilion of the Ridge Hospital and the Tema Community Centre.
The organisers are looking forward to a total of 1,000 volunteers at both donation sites.
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