He has therefore called for a multi- sectorial approach and commitment from stakeholders to ensure that no woman died from “giving life”.

Dr Tinkorang told the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Sekondi on issues of maternal health and disease burden in the Region that 92 maternal deaths were recorded in 2016 as against 75 in 2015.

He said the deaths was due to pregnancy induced hypertension and bleeding after labour.

Out of the figure, 27 were referred from other districts and remote areas to the Effia Nkwanta Regional hospitals at an irreversible stage.

He said the problem could be as a result of multiple pregnancies and hypertension in the pregnant women.

Dr Tinkorang said knowing ones HB level from conception was very important and entreated midwives to also be careful of the baseline BP of pregnant women.

He added that home delivery, poor health care, last minute referral and the lack of ready blood at the blood banks could also contribute to complications that might result in maternal deaths.

The Regional Director of Health said 30 per cent of pregnant women reported to the hospitals with low blood levels in the Region whilst 40  per cent were anaemic.

He said: "A woman delivering in an anaemic state may pass out within two hours should complication set in."

He revealed that Effia Nkwanta, which happened to be the only referral Hospital in the Region was over stretched whilst it lacked the needed staff and logistics to effectively deliver on its mandate.

The Effia Nkwanta Hospital, for instance has only two gynaecologists who are over stretched especially with caesarean operations.

"Though some complications cannot wait, definitely people will have to queue for this kind of services," Dr Tinkorang said.

He said the focus should be the decentralisation and retooling of hospitals such as Tarkwa, Eikwe and Sefwi wiawso to take some of the work load on Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital.

On antenatal care, he mentioned that the home environment should be supportive enough and help the pregnant mother on what to eat, visit to clinics and the need to have adequate rest.

The Medical Doctor however discouraged women from using the internet as clinics for information and education adding: "They are always not the right kind of learning you need.".

Antenatal coverage he hinted was dropping, coupled with low attendance rate, a situation he described as worrying to the safety of the pregnant woman.

He said frequenting the clinic during pregnancy and providing the right information or bio data and any medical conditions could also help in ensuring safe delivery.

“You need not to hide any disease condition even if it is HIV and AIDS."

Dr Tinkorang said supervised delivery in hospitals accounted for 56 per cent which implied that 42 per cent of deliveries were carried out in prayer camps, homes and shrines,

"Pregnancy though a physiological process is not risk free and required quality care to save the life of the expectant mother and the unborn baby".

The Regional Director therefore encouraged rural women in particular to add prayers to modern medical care system.

On the Regional Front, health care facilities are running the pregnancy school, advocacy with queen mother's and traditional councils and the refresher courses for midwives and doctors on life saving skills to help identify and manage pregnancy related complications.

Dr Tinkorang also called for more doctors and logistics to meet the ever growing healthcare needs of the Region and the country at large.

On the other hand, the Region continued to fight three major health problems; Malaria, Respiratory tract infections and hypertension.