“Sensitization Campaign on Births and Deaths Registration: A Step Towards Universal Coverage”
A significant event was held at the Guggisberg Hall, Regional House of Chiefs in Dodowa on June 7th, 2024, to launch and handover the sensitization campaign for the Births and Deaths Registry combined Maternal and Child Health Record Books. The occasion brought together various stakeholders, including government officials, health professionals, representatives from the Public Sector Reform Secretariat, and members of the media.
Hon. Yaw Osafo-Maafo, Senior Presidential Advisor, spearheaded the launch and emphasized the importance of improving data coverage on infant births and foetal deaths for the nation’s development. He commended the Births and Deaths Registry for its commendable performance in recent years, citing factors such as decentralized operations, enhanced staff capacity, harmonized registration systems, and legislative support.
The Public Sector Reform for Results Project (PSRRP) under the Office of the Senior Presidential Advisor, supported by the World Bank, has driven efficiency and accountability in public service delivery. This initiative facilitated collaboration between the Births and Deaths Registry and the Ghana Health Service to improve the notification of births and deaths processes, leading to the introduction of the revised Maternal and Child Health Record Book.
The revised Maternal and Child Health Record Book serves as a vital home-based health record for mothers, newborns, and children, containing essential information to promote and maintain their health. It also captures data for national planning and socio-economic development, particularly through the notification of births and foetal deaths.
The event marked the official launch of the sensitization campaign on births and deaths registration, aiming to educate the public, including the media, on the importance of timely registration. Hon. Osafo-Maafo reiterated the continuous nature of institutional reform and expressed confidence in sustaining and improving the gains achieved through the PSRRP.
The Acting Registrar of Births and Deaths, Ms. Henrietta Lamptey, emphasized the importance of this event in ensuring compliance with statutory provisions outlined in the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 2020 (Act 1027). Dr. Fofie of the Ghana Health Service stressed the importance of registering foetal deaths to inform effective public policy development and decision-making.
The sensitization materials developed with support from the World Bank aim to educate the public on their role in births and deaths registration, particularly regarding foetal deaths. The handover of the Maternal and Child Health Record Book to the Ghana Health Service signifies a step forward in ensuring efficient registration processes, supported by comprehensive sensitization and public education initiatives.
The event concluded with a sense of optimism and determination to achieve universal coverage for births registration, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.
