The Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MoHS) with support from UNFPA has ended a three-day training at the Youth Spot Club along Mahei Vangahun Road in Kenema on competency-based Emergency Obstetrics and Newborn Care (EMONC) for service providers in the maternity units/complexes for eastern and southern regions of the country.
The training targeted thirty (30) health practitioners which included doctors, midwives, community health officers (CHO) and trained nurses from Kenema, Bonthe, Bo and Moyamba districts.
Earlier in her statement, the course Director for the training, Sr. Frances Fofanah said the purpose of the training was to build the capacity of the nurses for quality and efficient service delivery at the hospitals and peripheral health units. She stated that maternal and infant mortality is an emergency issue in the country which occurs during pregnancy and child birth.
She maintained that the training is geared to enable the medical personnel in handling medical complications, adding that emergency obstetric and newborn care are key areas in the national health strategy plan under the government’s agenda in the millennium development goal.
Sister Fofana disclosed that 536 women die during pregnancy complication and 99% of it occurs in poor communities. She highlighted some of the causes of maternal death as obstructed labour and delay of community people, among others, which she said UNFPA and the government want to reduce unwanted fertility and to ensure quality access to contraceptive services.
The National Programe Analyst, Sexual Reproductive Health, UNFPA, Safiatu A. Foday, in her contribution said her organization is determined to give the full package of support to government health system in the country. Mrs. Foday stated that UNFPA stands to provide competency service on maternal unit and to help improve the skills of the health workers to be able to handle some of the complications pregnant women encounter.
She maintained that UNFPA stands to promote the Ministry of Health and Sanitation activities in order to mitigate maternal mortality in all the PHUs and the major hospitals.
Mrs. Foday pointed out that UNFPA has rehabilitated some of the health centres with modern facilities to enhance effective and efficient service delivery for both pregnant women and unborn child.
In his statement, the District Medical Officer (DMO), Kenema, Dr. Mohamed Vandi commended UNFPA for the support accorded to the government in reducing maternal death. Dr. Vandi stated that building the capacity of health staff is in the right direction, adding that the brain need to be refresh in the medical field since technology advances every day.
The DMO stated that several factors associate for most of the maternal death such as accessibility to the health facility, lack of enough knowledge and skills in handling some of the complicated cases, among others. He said last year Kailahun recorded 40 maternal deaths likewise Kenema district. He encouraged the trainees to take the session seriously as they deal with lives regularly in their profession.
By Saffa B. Moriba
Friday March 18, 2016
follow on:http://awoko.org/2016/03/18/sierra-leone-news-medical-practitioners-school-on-maternal-health/
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