Upper East GJA Awards to spotlight maternal health and sanitation crisis – Albert Sore

The Upper East Regional branch of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) will use the 5th Upper East GJA Awards to draw attention to maternal health and sanitation challenges confronting healthcare facilities in the region.

The awards, scheduled for October 2, are being held under the theme, “Beyond the headlines: The media’s role in promoting WASH for safe motherhood and quality healthcare,” in support of WaterAid Ghana’s Time to Deliver campaign.

Speaking on the Big Mike Breakfast Show on Friday, September 11, the Upper East Regional Chairman of the GJA, Albert Sore, said the theme was deliberately chosen to highlight the critical role of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in maternal and healthcare services.

He explained that the Time to Deliver campaign seeks to improve water and sanitation services in healthcare facilities, particularly maternity units where women go to deliver their babies.

Sore disclosed that some health facilities in the region still lack running water, creating serious challenges for women who seek maternal care at such facilities.

“You have health facilities across the region that do not have running water, and you still have mothers going to some of these facilities to have their babies,” he said.

He recounted findings from a documentary he produced on the issue, saying some women reported leaving healthcare facilities without being able to properly clean themselves after delivery because water was unavailable.

According to him, the lack of water can also affect the administration of essential medication.

He cited an instance where pregnant women were given medication that had to be taken under the supervision of nurses but had no water with which to swallow the medicine.

Sore said the situation made the theme of this year’s awards particularly significant.

“Our theme is very important this year because we want to support the campaign that WaterAid Ghana is doing and draw the attention of everyone who matters to these issues,” he explained.

He said the GJA believes journalists have a responsibility beyond reporting daily events, stressing that the media must sustain public attention on critical development challenges until meaningful action is taken.

Sore noted that the theme was also a call to media practitioners to investigate and expose infrastructural deficits that threaten the health and well-being of vulnerable communities.

He said the 5th Upper East GJA Awards would recognise journalists who have distinguished themselves through impactful reporting on various aspects of the region’s development.

Sore expressed gratitude to sponsors who had supported the event and appealed to other corporate institutions, organisations and individuals to come on board to help make the awards a success.

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