In Ghana, one newborn dies every 15 minutes, and 90 die daily. In all, as many as 30,000 newborns die annually before reaching the first month of life. The major causes of these deaths are complications from preterm births, complications during birth, breathing difficulties just after delivery and infections. The knowledge and tools to reduce at least two-thirds of these deaths are available in Ghana if immediate action is taken based on this knowledge, a release signed by Evelyn Offeibea Baddoo, Communications Officer of UNICEF, made these startling disclosures. In this country, babies less than one-month-old continue to be the greatest at risk when it comes to under five mortality, the statement observed. Even though child health is a Government priority, too many young babies continue to die making it unlikely for Ghana to meet the Millennium Development Goal 4 target of reducing child deaths by September 2015. Many challenges including access to utilization, quality of service and bad roads often cost the lives of young babies. However, applying an integrated strategy that links key interventions from pre-pregnancy care through to the post-partum period such as care during pregnancy, skilled delivery, early initiation and exclusive breastfeeding and postnatal care will speed up progress to reduce these deaths. “Losing just one baby is one too many, but regardless of the strong read more
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