UNFPA deploys 5 midwives in Grand Cape County
Grand Cape Mount County authorities and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) have agreed to collaborate efforts aimed at reducing maternal and newborn deaths in the county.
According to a release, the commitment was made Tuesday, 04 August in Robertsport, Grand Cape Mount County during a courtesy visit to the office of County Superintendent Mrs. Jenneh Kpadebah by a team from UNFPA led by its Resident Representative, Dr. Oluremi Sogunro.
In his introductory remarks, Dr. Sogunro lauded the county’s authorities led by Superintendent Kpadebah for the commitment to restoring basic social services, including maternal and newborn health services to the people of the county.
Dr. Sogunro said as part of its support to the restoration of health services in the wake of the Ebola epidemic, UNFPA in collaboration with the Ministry of Health has recruited and deployed five midwives to three health facilities in the county.
He added that the UN agency has also supported a number of health facilities in Grand Cape Mount with medical equipment, including delivery beds and examination tables. According to Dr. Sogunro, the items were acquired under the Mano River Maternal Health Response (MRMR) with funding from the Japanese Government, Google, SIDA, UNMEER and the World Bank to support the restoration of basic maternal health services in Liberia.
He said as part of the intervention, UNFPA will help strengthen human resource capacity, rehabilitate health facility infrastructure and ensure supply of life saving drugs to increase the number of operational health facilities with fully functional maternities.
“We will also contribute to the provision of quality sexual, reproductive, maternal, neonatal and adolescent health (SRMNAH) services through training and supervision. Additionally, we will procure ambulances and communication equipment to strengthen the referral and MDSR systems,” Dr. Sogunro added.
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In response, Superintendent Kpadebah lamented the increased trend of maternal death in the county, saying, “Pregnant women continue to die during childbirth, and we want an end to this.” She indicated that her office is working with the County Health Team to devise a strategy that would encourage Traditional Birth Attendants (TBA) to refer pregnant women to health facilities for safe delivery. Home delivery by pregnant women is said to be responsible for most of the maternal deaths in the county.
