Doctors and Midwives in five public health facilities in the Upper East Region on Christmas Day successfully conducted 18 Spontaneous Vaginal Deliveries (SVDs) and six Cesarean Sections (CS).

The facilities include the Regional Hospital in Bolgatanga, the Zebilla District Hospital in the Bawku West District, the Bongo District Hospital, the Paga District Hospital in the Kassena Nankana West District and the War Memorial Hospital in the Kassena Nankana Municipality.

Miss Esther Oppong, a Senior Staff Midwife at the Regional Hospital who led a team of Midwives during the night duty on Christmas Day, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that “they were 10 successful SVDs and two successful CS”.

She said the first delivery, which was a baby boy, was done at about 0020hours, without complications.

“All mothers are doing well; those who underwent SVDs are likely to be discharged. The CS clients would be monitored for some time.” On condition of anonymity, one of the women who delivered a baby boy at the Regional Hospital, expressed gratitude to God for a safe delivery, and said “If my baby was a girl, I would have named her Mary, but since he is a boy, he will be Emmanuel.”

Dr William Gudu, the Medical Superintendent of the Bongo District Hospital told the GNA in an interview that his outfit conducted three deliveries, comprising one SVD and two CS, and said a baby boy and girl were delivered through CS.

He said anaemia in pregnancy was one of the biggest challenges in the facility because most expectant mothers who reported to the facility were anaemic and needed urgent blood transfusions to increase their haemoglobin levels.

Dr Gudu urged expectant mothers to always take the Iron Folic Acid given to them at their various health facilities, and entreated them to eat well balanced diets, and adhere to proper personal hygiene.

He called on husbands to support their wives, especially during pregnancy to ensure safe deliveries.

At the Zebilla District Hospital, Madam Aminatu Adams, the Midwife in charge of the Maternity ward disclosed that the Hospital recorded five deliveries, out of the number; four were SVDs while one was through a CS.

She said two were males and three were females.

Madam Adams advised expectant mothers to always seek early antenatal services and ensure they delivered at health facilities.

A baby boy was delivered through SVD at the Paga District Hospital by Madam Joyner Anku, a Staff Midwife.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a Senior Midwife at the War Memorial Hospital said the Hospital recorded two SVDs and one CS, two were females and one was a male.