Reducing Maternal Mortality in Liberia by Increasing the Information Dissemination for Maternal Education

Academic Paper from the year 2017 in the subject Health - Public Health, grade: 5.0, Sophia University Yotsuya Campus (Graduate School of Global Studies), course: Global Studies, language: English, abstract: This paper argues that the lack of a continuous, serious and robust government-driven and coordinated information dissemination program in Liberia on the importance of antenatal care among a highly illiterate population constitutes significant impediment to the overall goal to reducing maternal mortality and contributes to the high rate of maternal mortality. The argument is founded on two fundamental observations. These observations include: the high illiteracy rate in Liberia and its contribution to maternal mortality and, the underutilization improved and expanded maternal health facilities and services. We see these two points as mutually reinforcing and that one will not fare well in the absence of the other. We conclude with five precursory recommendations and emphasize that if any policy to reduce maternal mortality in Liberia is to be successful, holding all other factors constant, such policy must include a deliberate program for increasing information dissemination for maternal education. The author, Baba Sillah, is a post-graduate student at the Sophia University, Tokyo, Japan. He formerly served as Assistant Minister/Special Assistant to Minister of Foreign Affairs of Liberia.