<<Print>>

Dr Anthony Nsiah Asare, Director General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) has declared zero tolerance for maternal and neonatal mortality in the Central Region.

He said regardless of Government's efforts at promoting quality health care services, maternal and neonatal mortality persisted in the Region and many parts of the country.

He therefore charged the Regional Health Directorate to put in place pragmatic measures to effectively eradicate the phenomenon to prevent loss of lives.

Dr Asare was speaking at the inauguration of a 150 bed polyclinic constructed by Vamed Ghana, a construction firm with financial support by the Czech Republic and the Government of Ghana at Narkwa in the Ekumfi District of the Central Region on Wednesday.

The magnificent facility comes with the state of the art equipment and offices including; wards, out patients department, consulting rooms, washrooms, mother and child service area and a generator set.

Dr Asare also advised pregnant women to attend antenatal clinics regularly to avoid complications and noted that infant and maternal mortality continued to be a challenge because most pregnant women delayed at home until complications set in.

They must change their attitudes and misconceptions about going to hospital and attend clinics promptly to know of their health status and also avoid complications during and after delivery.

Dr Asare called on the community leaders to render their sincerest support to the health officials as the government fulfil its obligation of providing the health needs of all citizens.

"We must work towards enhancing the work of health professionals in order to improve the safety and quality of healthcare for our people," he said.

They must disengage from attacking health personnel and always channel their grievances to appropriate quarters for immediate redress.

He gave the assurance that plans were advanced to provide more a medical centre with up-to-date facilities and urged the nurses and staff to work in harmony and selflessness to ensure delivery of quality health care service.

Inaugurating the new facility, Mr Kwaku Agyemang-Manu, Minister of Health commended the partners and stakeholders for playing major roles in ensuring the successful completion of the project.

The move, he said, was part of Government's commitment to achieve the United Nations’ (UN) goal on universal health coverage aimed at ensuring that all people have access to the needed health services including; prevention, promotion, treatment and rehabilitation.