Overdose of medicines responsible for child mortality - Prof Dolphyne

Accra, Oct. 24, GNA - Professor Mrs Florence Ama Dolphyne, a former Lecturer of the University of Ghana, said most child mortality cases in the country were as a result of overdose of medicines given the children by their "uneducated" mothers.

She said such mothers thought that giving more than required dose of medicines to their sick children would quicken the pace of relief for the children, but this unfortunately resulted in their death.

She therefore called for measures to ensure that every woman, no matter her age, acquired some form of education to help save lives as well contribute to the development of the country.

Professor Dolphyne said this in when addressing the Fifth Triennial Delegates Conference of the Susanna Wesley Mission Auxiliary (SUWMA) of the Methodist Church held in Accra on Saturday.

The conference, which also saw the election of new SUWMA executives, was to evaluate its activities for the past three years and strategise for the way forward.

It was on the theme: "Humble Yourselves Therefore, under God's Mighty Hand That He May Lift You Up in due Time".

Professor Mrs Dolphyne, who was the special Guest of Honour, said apart from forming the majority of the country's population, women were the first teachers and nurses to their children and stressed the need for affirmative action to empower them to reach the pinnacle of their endeavours.

She urged parents to keep close eyes on their daughters when going to school because a lot of sexual harassment was now taking place in the school settings.

She advised especially lady university graduates to disabuse their minds that there were jobs in the corporate world to seek, saying chasing after such non-existent jobs might land them in the hands of unscrupulous men who would take advantage of them.

Reverend Dr Asamoah Otchere, Administrative Bishop of the Methodist Church, called on SUWMA to partner with the Women's Fellowship of the church to train and imbibe motherly instincts in the young women of the church and commended it for its activities to develop women.

Reverend Abraham Tagoe, Bishop of Accra Diocese of the Methodist Church, advised Christians to let their past experiences guide their actions calling on them to desist from boastful acts.

The new executives elected for SUWMA has Madam Leticia Ewusi-Wilson as its President to manage affairs for the next three years.

Madam Ewusi-Wilson, who until the election was the secretary of SUWMA, succeeded Madam Gertrude Aboagye, who had been at the helm of affairs since 2007.