FATHERFEST @ 5-Health Concern Ghana Celebrates

The Executive Director,Mrs Aboagye delivering a speech at the event.

Health Concern Ghana, a non-governmental organization last week marked its 5th annual Fathers’ Day celebration dubbed; “Fathers: Key Actors in Improving Maternal and Neonatal Health”, at the Victory Presbyterian Church in Accra.
The programme was centered on engaging fathers to improve maternal and neonatal health, because the organization believed that fathers, right from conception plays integral part to the health of both mother and child.
Other activities also included fathers cooking completion, health screening, bounty castle, football gala and a launch of “Save a mother, Save a new born Campaign”.
Speaking at the event, the Executive Director of Health Concern Ghana, Mrs. Mary Aboagye, said that every year there were about four million neonatal deaths worldwide, of which infections form( 36%),pre-term( 28%) and birth asphyxia( 23%).
Besides, she noted said “these newborn death’s occur in developing countries whiles most die at homes against a background of poverty, sub-optimum care seeking and weak health systems”, adding that two-thirds of those deaths could be prevented.
She advised fathers to find time to accompany their spouses to antenatal clinic and stressed the need for fathers to be educated on conception, pregnancy, delivery and childcare.
A representative for the Minister of Health, George Kumi Kyeremeh, hinted that statistics from the Social Welfare of the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit(DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service revealed that the number of fathers noted to be irresponsible had risen over the past three years, with fathers mistreating their wives during pregnancy
He appealed to all fathers to renew their commitment to their civic, religious and traditional responsibilities by supporting their spouses at home.
Fatherfest is an initiative of Health Concern Ghana with a three-fold mission; to acknowledge the role of fathers in the society, create an avenue for people, show appreciation to their fathers and equip fathers to assume their role effectively.