The Greater Accra Region recorded the highest maternal deaths in 2016, with bleeding and hypertension being the leading causes, the Ghana Health (GHS) has said.

According to the Service, the region last year recorded 197 cases with 100 of them attributed to bleeding. 

A statement signed by the Deputy-Director of Clinical Care Division of the Service, Sarah Amissah-Bamfo, on Thursday said the figure represents 180.4 per 100,000 live births.

“In the Greater Accra Region, almost every day in the year there is wailing and moaning in a household because a mother has died unexpectedly during childbirth,” the statement added.

Maternal death occurs when a woman dies during pregnancy, labour and six weeks after giving birth.

In an appeal to the public to voluntarily donate blood to stem the situation, the GHS said women in childbirth could lose massive amounts of blood and some had had to receive between six to 10 units of blood.

The GHS bemoaned the fact that the blood banks in the region are consistently unable to supply this great demand which makes the situation dire. 

The statement said the Greater Accra Regional Health Directorate with the aim of achieving zero maternal death was, therefore, organising a Regional Bleeding Day as a campaign to solicit for blood to be stored in the blood banks.

“The Regional Health Directorate is making an appeal to the general public to donate blood as an extremely valuable contribution to reduce maternal deaths in the Region; we are looking forward to having a total of 1000 volunteers at the donation sites,” the statement said.

The blood donation exercise, scheduled for Monday, May 1, 2017, would take place at the Maternity Pavilion of the Ridge Regional Hospital and at the Community Centre, Tema.

“Every person from age 17 - 60 years is eligible. The blood collection takes about five to seven minutes, after which the donor is made to rest for 10 minutes and given light refreshment. The donor will be able to return to his/her normal duties immediately after donating,” the GHS explained.

In 2015, the Greater Accra region recorded 208 maternal deaths representing 117 per,100,000 live births; while in 2014, it recorded 204 cases, representing 189.3 per 100,00 live births.