Train more mid-wives to prevent maternal mortality - Dr. Appiah-Nkansah

A paediatrician at the the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital, Dr.Yaa Appiah-Nkansah has called for the training of more mid-wives to cater for the safe delivery of expectant mothers at the hospitals.

The move, according to her, is expected to curb child and maternal mortality which has assumed an alarming proportion in the country.

Dr. Appiah-Nkansah said this at a mental health forum and book launch at the Paragon Terrace in Takoradi.

It was organized by the Ghana Health Service (GHS) in conjunction with Paragon FM, a Takorad-based radio station under the theme, "Support the Mothers and Babies to Survive".

Dr. Appiah-Nkansah who spoke on Neo-Natal Health, stressed the need for training and re-training of health personnel and make maternal health a priority to divert attention from patronizing the services of traditional birth attendants (TBAs).

She disclosed that one new born baby dies in every 15 minutes but however stated that under 5 mortality rate had improved over the last decade.

Dr. Appiah-Nkansah was cocksure that the goals of the Ghana New-born Health Strategy Action Plan would be vigorously pursued to reduce neo-natal mortality rate in the country.

The Metropolitan Health Director of Takoradi, Mrs. Joyce Kwegyina Sutherland appealed to health workers to improve upon their attitudes to clients to attract more expectant mothers to access their services.

She said the list of items to be bought by expectant mothers was too long and urged health workers. to do away with certain demands.

Dr. Sutherland was worried that health personnel worked to the best of their abilities in private hospitals but did not replicate the same working habits at government hospitals.

A Senior Technical Ofïcer at the Western Regional Disease Surveillance Office of the Ghana Health Service, Mr. Obed Bangdome Ofori, who conducted a qualitative research on maternal mortality in 7 communities in the Bibiani Anhwiaso District said only 56% of births were attended to as such, 2,700 expectant mothers die in Ghana every year.

He reiterated that the poor and unfriendly attitudes of health personnel was the major cause of maternal mortality in the country.