The Ministry of Gender Children and Social Protection says it has began giving pregnant women and children under two years, stipends under the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty program.

The minister Nana Oye Lithur who revealed this at the launch of the International Day of the Midwife said the Ministry has so far disbursed the stipends to over 6,000 such women in the Upper East and Northern region.

The allowance is given at the end of every two months. It is to supplement their meager incomes in regions that are the hardest hit by poverty in Ghana.

The Ministry says the initiative is to accelerate the reduction of maternal mortality and to inspire confidence in the health delivery system.

Nana Oye Lithur is hopeful the funds would help impoverished pregnant women survive the period with minimal risks.

Maternal mortality is linked to poverty. Poverty alleviation fund managers- SEND-Ghana has had cause to express concern about the increase in maternal mortality in the Northern Region.

Records from the Northern Regional Health Directorate revealed that 57 maternal deaths in the first half of 2015.

It is more than 50% of the population in the Northern region. In the Upper West Region it is at 88 per cent, while in the Upper East Region, seven out of 10 people are poor.