Stop taunting pregnant women - Doctor appeals to nurses

Ho, Dec 19, GNA - Dr John Eleeza, Acting Volta Regional Director of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), has urged nurses to resist the temptation to taunt women who come to give birth at the hospitals for being too young or as husband snatchers.

"You are health workers, not moralists, treat your patients as a business. When you enter a medical facility please live your religion at the gate," he said.

Dr Eleeza was speaking at the Volta Regional launch of "Safe Motherhood Week" in Ho under the theme, "Maternal Deaths Are Preventable-Act Now".

Dr Winfred Ofosu, Acting Senior Medical Officer (Public Health) in the Region, said a survey in 1999 indicated that mothers knowledge of risk groups were inadequate.

He said many did not know "when to call it quits" to child bearing, had little knowledge about signs of labour and use abortion as means of family planning.

Dr Ofosu said the objectives of the week included creating awareness among stakeholders to put the issue on their agenda and to draw interest of some NGOs for collaboration in addressing the problem.