Deliberate efforts apace to tackle maternal and neonatal mortality

Jan 10, 2017 News

In the quest to reduce deaths and illnesses of women, children and families through a comprehensive approach commencing before pregnancy, a Safe Motherhood Strategy was introduced. This Strategy, which was implemented during the course of last year, came as part of the Ministry’s efforts to curb the maternal and neonatal mortality rate, which is in fact high on the agenda of the Ministry of Public Health.
However, the major challenge faced in the execution of the Safe Motherhood Strategy last year was the depleted midwifery staff within the regions to adequately execute the programme.
This disclosure was recently made when the Public Health Ministry held its end of year press conference.
Moreover, intensified efforts are underway this year. Former Minister of Public Health, Dr. George Norton, had revealed that while approval of an Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) loan for the improvement of maternal and neonatal health was granted last year, this year measures will be fast-tracked in the area of Maternal and Child Health.
In 2015, there were 17 recorded maternal deaths, while in 2016 there were 12 recorded maternal deaths. Among the factors that could have aided this reduction, Minister Norton said, is the fact that there are more trained doctors in the Public Health system in the field of Obstetrics. “This has resulted in earlier diagnosis of complications,” asserted Dr. Norton.
This is due to the fact, the Minister said, that to date, some 75 percent of all Cuban-trained medical practitioners have been trained in ALARMS (Emergency Obstetrics Training). Forty more health care workers were trained in ALARMS in 2016.
The reduction in the number of maternal deaths can also be attributed to increased education and women being seen earlier in their pregnancy, Dr. Norton quipped.
Meanwhile, helping to reduce the number of neonatal deaths has been credited to deliberate collaboration between the public health sector and the Guyana Help the Kids (GHTK) Charity. This collaboration saw the commissioning of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the Bartica Regional Hospital in May of last year.
This hospital, according to Dr. Norton, has joined five other hospitals across the country with established NICUs as a result of this collaboration.
“The result has been improved care for neonates, lending to the reduction of neonatal deaths,” said the former Minister of Public Health.
He disclosed that in 2016, 33 health care providers were trained under the Helping Babies Breathe initiative, and this saw them being equipped with the skills to manage infants who are born with breathing complications. According to Dr. Norton, “this will also aid significantly in the reduction of the number of neonatal deaths.”
It was revealed at the recent Public Health press conference that the Ministry is embracing an Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses approach. This holistic plan to child health, according to Dr. Norton, involves assessment, classification, identifying the problem, treatment, follow up and referral of patients. Moreover, health workers have been taught the basic skills at all levels of care.
“At least 60 percent of primary health care professionals have been trained in Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses. Thirty Region Four Health professionals were trained in this regard too during 2016,” Minister Norton revealed.
Added to this, he disclosed that the community is also taught about basic health care and how to prevent illnesses in the home and the community. As such, in 2016, Comprehensive Maternal and Child Health Training was conducted for 45 Community Health Workers in Regions Seven and Eight.
Among the major challenges faced in the execution of this sub-programme last year were insufficient follow-up within communities in the hinterland by Community Health Workers and insufficient supervision of community health workers. However, with deliberate efforts being focused on overcoming challenges, the public health sector is poised for better results in 2017, health officials have asserted.

Pic name safe motherhood

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