Koforidua, April 29, GNA - Pregnant women have been advised to access antenatal and health care from trained midwives and other health care professionals rather than relying on Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs). Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, National Reproductive Health Coordinator, who made the appeal, explained that TBAs could not easily detect situations that could result in the dead of pregnant women, although the TBAs play a crucial role in maternal health care.

He cited high blood pressure, bleeding and blood infusion, infections and large sizes of babies as some of the difficult state of affairs pregnant women could encounter that are often beyond the capabilities of the TBAs. Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye made the observations at the opening of a two-day safe motherhood dissemination workshop for midwives and health workers from the Eastern and Volta regions, in Koforidua He said that delays in referrals from TBAs to health facilities caused about 80 per cent of maternal deaths in the country, and called on pregnant women to visit health facilities to reduce the rate of maternal mortality. Dr. Kumah-Aboagye said over the past five years government through the Ghana Health Service had initiated measures to make health centres accessible to all pregnant women.

He expressed worry that despite these arrangements pregnant women refused to attend hospital and rather solicited the services of TBAs or other local health practitioners, resulting in fatalities. Dr. Kuma-Aboagye said there was the need for behavioral change on the part of pregnant women, citing that some pregnant women ignored fully equipped health facilities and were delivered of their babies at home. Mrs. Gladys Brew, National Safe Motherhood Programme Officer, said that the seminar was aimed at upgrading the skills of midwives to enable them effectively train other health workers to address the causes of maternal and child mortality.

She said it also aimed at disseminating protocols of safe motherhood service to the midwives for effective maternal health care management. Mrs. Brew asked expectant mother to access antenatal care early and adhere to instructions of health providers for safe deliveries. 29 April 10