Guyana to launch project to eliminate maternal death
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC) — Guyana on Monday said it will launch a project aimed at eliminating maternal deaths.
The Maternal and Child Health Department of the Ministry of Public Health said the project will be launched at the Soesdyke Health Centre in Region Four and is premised on providing home-based maternal healthcare to pregnant women who may be unable to fulfil scheduled appointments at clinics and health centres.
The project will ensure that mothers who missed clinic dates will see a doctor, and benefit from up-to-date medical check-ups.
Region Four recorded three maternal deaths for 2016. Government Medical Officer for the region, Dr Patrick Lindore said that these were identified early as high risk cases and referred to the Georgetown Public Hospital for monitoring.
“… It’s (Maternal Love project) going to start at Soesdyke and then after a year, we are going to roll it out in other health centres, and then eventually, nationally if possible. We are going to have a high focus on meeting families at home, and this isn’t only going to be focused on maternal and child health, but it’s going to be focused on every aspect of health,” Dr Lindore explained.
Dr Lindore, who was at the time responding to questions posed by the Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence who expressed concern about the cases, pointed out that, “there were deficiencies when it came to the patients seeking earlier admission to clinic.
“I went personally to the Maternal and Child Health Department of the Ministry of Public Health, and I sat down with the senior supervisor and the RHO and found deficiencies… we realised that many of us, because of the dynamics and because people in Region Four, are working, and aren’t home it’s difficult to get to the health centre.”
In 2016, Region Four recorded 3069 live births with 13 of them being home deliveries.
“When it comes to primary health care, the total number of pregnant women that were enrolled in our antenatal clinic in 2016 (was) 1540. I’m saddened to say we had three maternal deaths in our region, “said Regional Health Officer, Dr Farrah December.
