Hospital attendance increases under NHIS-- Midwife

Mankumah (N/R), Jan. 17, GNA - A midwife in-charge of the Mankumah Health Post, Madam Grace Ewuntomah has noted that hospital attendance has risen tremendously at the Mankumah Clinic, with the introduction of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). This was contained in an address delivered at the end of year get-together organized by the clinic in Mankumah to motivate the staff, as well as to enable the clinic to assess its successes and failures. She said the rise in hospital attendance was also due to a series of durbars and meetings organized to create awareness of the creation of the Health Post in the area, and the intensive efforts of the staff, and the zonal co-ordinators and thanked the people for their co-operation. The midwife urged all those who have not registered with the NHIS to do so to enable them to access free medical care and all sick persons to report to the clinic early for treatment.

Madam Ewuntomah noted that the major disease recorded during the attendance within the year was mainly malaria and advised the people to keep their surroundings clean and to ensure that all stagnant waters, which served as breeding places for mosquitoes were drained. She advised pregnant and lactating mothers to visit the clinic regularly and to sue the bed nets distributed to them for their children and not for their husbands, as is usually the case to ensure the sound health of their children.

She remarked that the Mankumah Health Post was established in 2006 with only the midwife in charge of the post and that two other community health nurses and ward assistance were later posted to post. She however, appealed for an additional motorbike to supplement the existing dilapidated one, which was grinding gradually to a halt due to pressure and over-stretch. 17 Jan. 08