Executive Director of Participatory Action for Rural Development Alternatives, an NGO, Dr Michael Wombeogo, has expressed worry about the lack of midwives in some Community-Based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) Compounds in the Upper East Region.

He made the revelations during the launch of a project dubbed: “Mother-Baby Friendly Health Facility Initiative (MBFHI),” to ensure increased demand for ante-natal and postnatal services.

It was also to ensure early initiation of breast feeding by every new mother within 30 minutes after birth, exclusive breastfeeding and promotion of basic essential new-born care including Kangaroo Mother Care.

Funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, with support from UNICEF Ghana and the Ghana Health Service (GHS), the MBFHI would target traditional rulers, mothers of newborn babies, pregnant women, husbands, mothers-in-law, community leaders, religious leaders, the informal sector and change agents at the Serigu-Nyorkokor Community and its environs.

The project, he noted, was also targeting persons and groups to be taught proper cord care using existing GHS protocols and the need to provide supportive facility-based care including skilled delivery for every mother and every baby at the health facilities in line with the national newborn strategy and the SDGs.

He said the advocacy programme would also focus on areas including care during pregnancy, labour and delivery, postnatal care with more emphasis on the first 24 hours and first week of life; early initiation of breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding of up to six months including lactation management.

Mrs Ameyure Eunice, a Nutrition Officer, took the opportunity to educate the community members on the importance of exclusive breast feeding and the need for mothers to regularly visit health facilities to access healthcare.

Mr Francis Amoah, the Assemblyman for the Serigu-Nyorkokor Electoral Area, urged traditional and religious leaders and husbands to ensure exclusive breastfeeding.