UPPER EAST, FIRST IN BABY-FRIENDLY FACILITIES (PAGE 25, JANUARY 5)

The Head of the UNICEF Office in Tamale, Mrs Shaya Ibrahim Asindua, has commended the Upper East Region for being the first in Ghana to have its entire health facilities being Baby-Friendly.
"This is a very welcoming achievement considering that 17 years ago exclusive breastfeeding was almost unheard of in Ghana. This is making a tremendous difference for children's health and survival," Mrs Asindua said.
Mrs Asindua gave the commendation at the launch and designation of Baby Friendly facilities at the Tongo Health Centre in the Talensi-Nabdam District of the Upper East Region.
According to her, by this feat, Ghana was on target of achieving the Millennium Development Goal of reducing overall child mortality by two thirds by 2015, judging from the fact that while in 1993 only 15 per cent of mothers in Ghana initiated breastfeeding within an hour of birth, this had increased to 46 per cent in 2003.
The Upper East Regional Director of Health Services, Dr John Koku Awoonor-Williams, said breastfeeding was a key priority health intervention under the GHS strategic objective of improving healthy lifestyles, regenerative health and nutrition.
He said since the introduction of the Baby Friendly Initiative in the region to facilitate exclusive breastfeeding, it had been able through the Accelerated Child Survival and Development (ACSD) programme to institutionalise exclusive breastfeeding not only as a concept but more importantly, as a way of life among majority of the target population.
He said 687 mother support groups had been formed and trained on the policy, out of which 163 were actively linking up with health facilities to ensure that the best breastfeeding practices continued in the homes of lactating mothers in the respective communities.
Dr Awoonor-Williams said sustainable public education through breastfeeding week celebrations, service delivery points both static and outreach, home visits, domiciliary deliveries and community durbars were also pursued to maximise the gains.
He praised staff of GHS, Ghana Red Cross Society, UNICEF, World Food Programme, World Vision and Catholic Relief Service for their invaluable support.
The District Chief Executive for Talensi-Nabdam, Mr Anaba K. Nabila, said the government was more committed to the welfare of women and children with the introduction of the Free Maternal Health Delivery.
He, however, noted that notwithstanding the achievements made in the health sector in the region, there were still some challenges.
According to him, as part of its programme towards effective health care delivery, the assembly had also provided residential accommodation for health workers in the district.