The residents of Nanung, especially women in the farming community of Nakpayili in the Nanumba South District of the Northern Region, are now experiencing a sense of relief. This is due to the completion of a maternity ward at the sole healthcare facility in Nakpayili, aimed at assisting expectant mothers during pregnancy and childbirth.
Before the maternity ward was built, pregnant women in the community had to travel long distances to Wulensi and Bimbila for pregnancy and delivery services. Some relied heavily on traditional herbal remedies, causing distress for many expectant mothers in the area.
The newly constructed maternity block at the Nakpayili CHPS compound serves approximately thirty communities within the Nanumba South District. Women from these communities can now access quality healthcare during pregnancy and childbirth. When labor begins, women from the beneficiary communities have the opportunity to move to the facility, where a skilled birth attendant can assist them.
The facility’s goal is to enhance access to skilled care, thereby reducing morbidity and mortality for mothers and newborns in the event of complications. The decision to establish the facility, commissioned on December 8th, 2023, was based on studies conducted by the Abuya Foundation, which reported positive outcomes for women and newborns.
During the commissioning, Alhaji Aminu Iddrisu, the CEO of the Abuya Group, expressed his familiarity with the challenges faced by communities in Nanung, particularly Nakpayili. He pledged to collaborate with stakeholders to address these challenges. Jennifer Akutto, the midwife at the facility, highlighted the significant impact the maternity ward would have on the beneficiary communities, considering the advanced equipment it houses.
Evans Kipoo, in charge of the CHPS compound, expressed joy at the commissioning of the modern facility with top-notch equipment, emphasizing its positive role in transforming the health sector in the community. Johnson Asiedu Nketsia, the National Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), commended Alhaji Aminu Iddrisu for using the Corporate Social Responsibility arm of his companies, specifically the Abuya Foundation, to positively impact lives and provide essential social services to underserved communities through vital community projects.
Johnson Asiedu Nketsia noted, “we politicians are all fighting for development. And so, if there is a non-politician who is a citizen and he is also engaged in development, it means that at that point, our interests coincide. And so, we must assist each other in this endeavor and that is why we are here. You heard about the story of Alhaji Abuya, beginning from the construction of a school for his community, then he followed to construct a Mosque, that is a prayer house. And today, he has completed a maternity ward, which signifies the beginning of life. So, all the three key projects are projects that have been carefully selected and I want to thank him from the bottom of my heart”.
In numerous regions of Ghana and globally, women continue to face elevated risks of mortality due to complications arising from pregnancy and childbirth. The primary factors contributing to maternal and perinatal deaths include unsafe abortion, eclampsia, hemorrhage, obstructed labor, and infections leading to sepsis.
The prevention of most of these deaths hinges on the timely identification and treatment of complications, a process that heavily relies on the capabilities and availability of skilled professionals and adequate medical equipment at healthcare facilities. However, the effectiveness of such preventive measures is contingent on the capacity of the facilities.
The persistently high incidence of maternal and perinatal deaths in areas with inadequate access to quality healthcare is primarily attributed to obstacles that impede the utilization of maternal health services and antenatal care. Overcoming these barriers is crucial for improving outcomes and reducing mortality rates associated with pregnancy and childbirth in these vulnerable communities.
Source: Ghana360news.com
