Nkoranza (B/A), July 18, GNA - Madam Salamatu Ibrahim, Nkoranza Sout= h District Director of Health Services, has commended traditional birth attendants (TBAs) for their voluntary service and invaluable role in promoting safe delivery to complement efforts of the Ghana Health Service. She however advised them to refer cases above their competence to the health facilities for immediate attention by nurses and doctors to save the lives of mothers and their unborn babies.

Madam Ibrahim was speaking at a one day workshop to update the knowledge and skills on safe delivery of 40 TBAs at Nkoranza to help reduce maternal and infant mortality.

She said the Ghana Health Service was appreciative of their work in th= e communities and urged them to maintain the voluntary spirit. Madam Ibrahim advised them to encourage pregnant women to report to th= e hospital for deliveries since supervised deliveries were the best and safes= t ways to save the lives of pregnant women and their babies. She called on the TBAs to visit their clients and ensure they attended ante-natal and post-natal clinics to enhance their health. She asked the attendants to advice physically challenged pregnant women, as well as those with goiter and women above 30 years who are pregnant for the first time to visit the hospital for safe delivery to avoi= d complications.

Others to be referred to the hospitals include those who have undergon= e caesarean operation, developed swollen legs at pregnancy, very short women or those with small waists, as well as young girls pregnant for the first time. Madam Comfort Korkor Kwame, Nkoranza South District Public Health Nurse, urged pregnant women to eat fruits and vegetables as well as cereals and tubers like yam, cocoyam and cassava which contain nutrients for the body's growth.

She deplored the negative practice by some old women who encouraged their daughters to rely on traditional medicines and also deliver at home, saying the practice was risky and TBAs must condemn it. Madam Kwame appealed to traditional rulers, assembly members and unit committees to arrange for support for the TBAs to encourage them in the discharge of their duties.

Meanwhile, TBAs serving in Nkoranza South District have urged the district assembly to fulfill its promise to reward them for their service. About two years ago, the Assembly Members resolved at a meeting to reward the TBAs for their voluntary services in promoting safe delivery in the communities.

The assembly was said to have promised providing the attendants with pieces of wax print, lanterns, detergents and cash, to boost their morale. Madam Margaret Appiah, a TBA at Nsunensa, said the Assembly Member for her area, Mr Donald Azapa, informed her of the Assembly's decision. She said the message got to all the other attendants and were hopeful to receive the rewards but their dreams seemed to be shattered. Madam Appiah called on the Assembly Member to remind the management of the Assembly to fulfill the promise.

The Nkoranza South District Disease Control Officer, Mr Charles Kwasi Gyamfi, has advised nursing mothers to observe the exclusive breast feeding practice and refuse to give water to new born babies for six months to keep them healthy and strong.

Mr Gyamfi told the Ghana News Agency that studies had revealed childre= n who went through the practice freed themselves from diarrhea-related diseases.

He explained that scientific research had proved the importance of exclusive breast feeding and appealed to nursing mothers to observe it to enhance the health and growth of their babies.