Accra, April 17, GNA - The Maternity Ward of the Mamprobi Polyclinic over the Easter period recorded 44 deliveries, Mrs Susana Neequaye, Midwifery Superintendent, said on Monday. Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Accra, Mrs Neequaye said out of the 44 deliveries, 30 were males and 14 were females and all were normal deliveries.

She said Easter Sunday saw the highest deliveries with 18 births and Easter Monday seven as at 1315 hours, adding: "The day is still young and there are more clients likely to deliver before the end of the day."

She said the ward with only 14 beds had to deliver on the floor when they received cases outnumbering their beds and called for expansion of the Ward.

"This clinic since its establishment in 1975 has not seen any expansion and the population around it is growing. It is not the best to perform delivery on the floor".

Mrs Neequaye noted that there was not a single ambulance at the disposal of the Polyclinic to transfer emergency cases, adding, "the only pickup we have serving that purpose was involved in an accident just last week Sunday when a pregnant woman, who needed an operation was being transported to Ridge Hospital because Korle-Bu was not admitting cases because it was full.

"Both the nurse accompanying the client, the driver and the husband of the client are still on admission", she said.

Mrs Gladys Darko, Nursing Officer in-charge of the Out Patients Department of the Ridge Hospital, told the GNA that the hospital was for the past two months receiving increased cases with malaria recording the highest cases.

She said diarrhoea, vomiting and sudden collapse of people were also common reported cases that were on the increase. She advised that people should be careful with what they ate to keep them healthy.

When the GNA called at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital to check the number of babies born during the Easter and the accident cases received at the Accident and Emergency Centre, those on duty refused to give any information and directed that clearance should be sought from the Administration Office, which was closed for the Easter Holidays. 17 April 06