Sixty mothers, who regularly attended Child Welfare Clinics (CWC) with their children even though such children have completed their immunisation programme, have been honoured with awards at a baby show organised by the Juaben sub-district of the Ministry of Health.
Madam Akosua Boatemaah, a resident of Juaben and mother of triplets, all boys, was adjudged the overall best mother for her constant attendance of CWC and her adherence and use of counsel provided at CWC. She took away a sewing machine as her prize.
Madam Regina Boateng from Krafruom won the second best prize and took away a GTP wax print, while Madam Cecilia Owusu of Foase, who placed third had a set of silver bowls for her prize.
The remaining 57 mothers together with a man, who regularly brought their child to the CWC in place of the child's mother, were all given consolation prizes which included food flasks and shirts.
Speaking at the show at Juaben at the weekend, Madam Fati Braimah, principal nursing officer of the Juaben Government Hospital, explained that the rationale behind the show is to increase awareness and help develop a greater affection of mothers for CWC.
She said even though patronage of the CWC was a major tool that could guarantee quality and a healthy manpower base for the country in future, most mothers have been apathetic to CWC while some attend on irregular basis, thereby ending up jeopardising the health of their children.
Madam Braimah commended the Ejisu-Juaben district health administration, the Juaben traditional council and the Juaben local churches for sponsoring the baby show.
Madam Braimah appealed to the Ejisu-Juaben district assembly to demonstrate a more practical affection for the health of children by allotting a percentage of its resources to sponsor baby shows since that is the only means that mothers could be encouraged to attend the CWC with their children.
Dr. (Mrs) Felicia Owusu-Antwi, Ejisu-Juaben District Director of Health Services, advised mothers to discard the wrong notion that feeding children solely on breast milk without water within the six-month period could be hazardous to the children's health.
Dr. Owusu-Antwi said contrary to this belief, exclusive breast feeding rather helps in the proper growth and a healthy life for children and should therefore, be given the needed attention by mothers.
