Savana Signatures, an ICT for development organization has presented ICT equipment to Ghana Health Service (GHS) as part of efforts to reduce maternal deaths in Northern Region.
The items include laptop computers, projectors and projector screens, and smart mobile phonescosting thousands of Ghana cedis.
Speaking during at a short ceremony, the Executive Director of Savana Signatures Mr. John Stephen Agbenyo said Savana Signatures focuses on the use of ICT to facilitate development.
He said as an ICT for development organization, Savana Signatures has been using ICT to promote maternal health, education, youth empowerment, gender and social inclusion in line of its vision of a society where relevant information, knowledge and skills for development are enhanced by equal access to and use of ICT.
He said Savana Signatures in 2012 received funding support from STAR – Ghana to implement the Technology for Maternal Health project in six health facilities namely Tamale Teaching Hospital, Tamale West Hospital, Tamale Central, Kings Medical Centre, Yendi Municipal Hospital and Savelugu Municipal Hospital.
This intervention, he said has helped to increase Ante-Natal Care (ANC) attendance rates, reduced maternal deaths, improved skilled delivery, and enhanced maternal health information delivery to expectant mothers in these facilities and the districts in which the facilities are located.
Mr. Agbenyo said based of the successes chalked by the project, Savana Signatures with funding support from Cordaid, Connect4Change, International Institute for Communication and Development (IICD) has expanded the project to cover five (5) more new health facilities. These facilities include, Gushegu District Hospital, Salaga District Hospital, Daboya Poly Clinic, Bimbila District Hospital and Bupei Health Centre to help reduce maternal deaths in those areas.
He urged the beneficiary facilities to make good use of the equipment to achieve the desire result.
He thanked the authority of Ghana Health Services for their support and hoped that the equipment would contribute immensely to improve maternal health in the region.
The Northern Regional Director of Ghana Health Service Dr. Mahama Yakubu thanked SavanaSignatures for initiating Technology for maternal health project.
He said the intervention has contributed immensely to improve maternal health in the region. Dr. Mahama said Northern Region for example recorded 112 maternal deaths in 2012, 99 deaths in 2013 and 66 deaths in 2014. This drastic reduction in maternal deaths is as a result of various interventions including the Technology for Maternal Health project being implemented by Savana Signatures. Dr. Mahama who blamed maternal deaths on delays in reporting to health facilities, and attempts by women to deliver babies at home also appealed to Savana Signatures intensify campaign on family planning in the region. He welcomed Technology for Maternal Health project saying “We need more of these interventions to improve maternal health in the region”.
He thanked Savana Signatures for the equipment and pledged the his office commitment to ensuring effective and efficient use of the ICT equipment to further reduce maternal deaths in the regions.
Categories:
