By: Nyima Sillah
Essa Mbaye Faal and Honorable Halifa Sallah, in a presidential held Saturday, both emphasized on quality health care system to lower maternal mortality in the country.
The presidential debate was held in Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara Conference Center, Bijilo.
Going by the debate, Essa Mbaye Faal, an independent candidate contesting in the upcoming presidential election slated for 4th December said in other to address maternal mortality, there is need to know what the problem is and where does the problem lays.
According to him the problem is lacks of access to the necessary health facility, timely access, lacks of facility such as gloves and things that will help the caregivers to ensure safety delivery, lacks of blood, proper care giving after delivery and the biggest problem is the infection.
“All these things cause death. We have to invest heavily in other to be able to deal with these problems, increase supply of facilities and increase supply of ambulances could help reduce that problem,” he stated.
Mr Faal also said many women died because they were carried by horse-cart or motors cycles and they deliver on the way. Adding that if there are ambulances located strategically and they are abundant that will solve the problem. Also, “We must invest heavily on blood bank and prepare for every woman who is about to deliver and ensure that all the things needed are there.”
However, Honorable Halifa Sallah said managing birth at the village level is crucial all the knowledge must be there for that birth attendant to help that mother. Adding that, the knowledge will be given to that birth attendant in every village.
“We are going to make sure that at the level of the village, competent health workers must be there to take care of that woman (the women) so that she (they) will be fed from the farm before childbirth. Feed from the farm just like feed from the offices 9 months after child birth,”
He added that there will be some months of maternity leaves “so this is to protect women and mother from the types of illness and the type of death that they are suffering now, that is our policy already in our manifesto. Also, ambulance will be available ready to move the person to the district hospital with emergency to enable (them) deal with difficult childbirth that’s how we intend to lower maternal mortality,” Honorable Sallah explained.
