Ghana’s maternal health care has received a major boost with the introduction of the Woman360 franchise.
The initiative which is being managed by Netherlands-based PharmAccess is aimed at providing quality, convenient and affordable maternal health to middle class working women.
Woman360 is a network of private maternal healthcare providers dedicated to issues concerning women productive health.
It aims at eliminating the challenges that women face from pregnancy to childbirth, Critical among them being services render by health providers.
The initiative was launched at the E&E Medical Center at Adenta in Accra.
Resolve Hospital and the Airport Women Hospital are the first two facilities to begin the program in Ghana. They will be the hubs out of which small facilities known as spokes will be born.
The head of PharmAceess Ghana, Dr. Maxwel Antwi told Starr News “What we have sort to do is to pick the best of class obstetrician and gynecologist in Ghana, pull their skills together, put together midwives who are well trained and link these two units; so that if a midwife is seeing you at a small unit, it is as good as a top-notch obstetrician seeing you in a big hospital.”
The Netherlands Ambassador to Ghana, Ron Strikker, intimated that the PharmAccess’ Woman360 is a testimony of the Netherlands government objective to move away from aid to trade. He believes the franchise will give investors the opportunity to support the Ghana’s private health delivery sector.
Financial guru, Kwame Pianim who graced the event also urged the private sector to invest in the franchise as it will aid the betterment of maternal health care in public institution. For him, pressure on public hospitals will reduce and health providers will pay more attention to pregnant women.
Ace broadcaster and gender activist, Oheneyere Gifty Anti, urged maternal health professionals to probe pregnant women as many are not able to realize their real feeling.
The launch was also graced by the former Peace Council Chairman and Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church of Ghana, the Most. Rev. Prof. Emmanuel K. Asante.
With 350 deaths per 100,000 deliveries (WHO, 2010), Ghana ranked 31st on the World Maternal Mortality Index. Infant mortality rate in Ghana is 50 (per 1000 live births) compared with 5 in high-income countries (World health statistics. Global Health Indicators, WHO 2012; CIA World Factbook report, 2013).
It is hoped that the Woman360 initiative will help Ghana better its maternal statistics.
Source: Ghana/StarrFMonline.com/Osei Owusu Amankwaah
