A Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Japanese Organization for International Cooperation in Family Planning (JOICFP), have in collaboration with the Kwahu East District Assembly in the Eastern Region signed a sustainability agreement to ensure continuity of the Maternal, Newborn and Child health promotion project in the District.

The DCE for Kwahu East District, Isaac Agyapong after signing the MOU, expressed his profound gratitude to JOICFP for their immense support to the district by implementing the project.

He testified that the project has indeed improved access to maternal and child health care and also bridged the gap between the community and the health workers.

He stressed that since there were not enough funds from JOICFP to continue, the District Assembly and District Health Administration would collaborate to continue with the project.

He commended the MCH Promoters for their efforts and applauded them for supporting their communities.

On his part, the JICA Representative, Mr Miyasaka said the Japan Agency aimed to help Ghana to achieve the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) which had led to the construction of health facilities in Kwahu East District and some parts of the country and supporting the maternal, newborn and child health promotion project.

The Kwahu East District Health Director, Ms Vida Effua Afful also stressed on some achievements that were mostly not reported on by the project since it was part of the indicators but were major in terms of maternal and child health which included the reduction of TBA delivery in the district from 183 in 2016 to 30 in 2019, and reduction of maternal and child mortality in the district drastically during the project period.

The event which took place at Koforidua, the Regional capital, saw all the various stakeholders which included Ghana Health Service (GHS), and Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG), who presented the successful completion of the project and what the project was able to achieve within the 3-year project period.

The Agency, thus JOICFP after the ceremony also donated two tricycle ambulances to two facilities thus Oworobong and Hyewohoden CHPS in the Kwahu East District to support the transportation of pregnant women to the facility for services or delivery.