Women dying over lack of midwives in Northern Region

More women are dying and others suffering complications in the Mamprugu-Moagduri District of the Northern region following the absence of a trained midwife and a significant shortfall of healthcare providers in the lone impoverished clinic serving over 40 communities.

Maternal deaths and cases of stillborn babies are reaching an unacceptably high rate as scores of women are abandoning the facility.

Residents say at least more than 20 labor patients have lost their lives and others rendered barren.

The clinic built in 2005 has remained in dire straits without a midwife and with only three (3) staff including the district health director.

It has no doctor compelling pregnant patients to seek healthcare from distanced areas including Sandema in the Upper East region.

There are no vehicles in the area largely due to bad road networks and as a result labor patients are carried on motorbikes and in bucket of tractors to Sandema to have babies.

The shortfall of health workers has compelled the clinic to suspend service at night therefore patients brought to the facility after 9pm are turned away.

Speaking to Ultimate News, a resident, Sadia Osman said travelling on the deplorable road saps energy of the patients who suffer unspeakable pain and die.

According to her, she delivered her four month old child at the Sandema clinic because there was nobody at Yabaga clinic to aid her delivery.

Another woman Mpoa Maraim also accused nurses at the clinic of repressive attitude towards labor patients. She claims staff at the clinic refused to admit patients at night a situation she says is killing people.

Mr. Azindo also said their wives have suffered painful death due to lack of midwife at the facility and called for government urgent intervention.

The District Chief Executive for the troubled area Hon. Maxwell Mahama, declined comment accusing the News team of breaching an unpopular protocol. He refused to address the challenge claimimg that the team did not make him aware before coming to the district.

Despite the scaring rate of maternal death, the DCE suggested government has no immediate plans to tackle the canker.