Child delivery in ‘Aboboyaa’ rampant in Adjoa, Pumpuni and Aniwaehu
Lack of health facility in Adjoa, Pumpuni and Aniwaehu, all in the Ahanta West Municipality of the Western Region of Ghana, has left hundreds of pregnant women in the community with no option than to deliver in their homes, taxis or in a tricycles. A situation which has led to the increase in maternity mortality in the area due to lack of professional midwife to assist them during deliveries.
Adjoa, Pumpuni and Aniwaehu are three close communities in the Ahanta West Municipality of the Western Region, with population of over a thousand. The major source of livelihood in these communities is fishing and farming. In spite, of the population, and economic activities these communities contribute to the local economy of the Ahanta West municipality, the communities have been neglected in the distribution of basic social amenities.
Residents here are particularly concerned about the lack of health facility in the area which is preventing their pregnant women from accessing timely health care services when in labor. They are compelled to walk long kilometers on a rough road to access healthcare in other communities. The situation has left many pregnant women with no option than to deliver in their homes, a condition which has led to the death of many babies and mothers. Pregnant women whose cases get worse are made to be transported in tricycles or Taxis to receive skilled delivery services in other communities.
“Getting a reliable commercial vehicle has been our challenge due to the poor nature of our road. I’ve given birth to five children and all of them were delivered at home with the help of my mother. I did this to avoid giving birth in the middle of the road, a car or in a tricycle. There are several mothers here who gave birth in tricycles. We don’t have a clinic and potable water here. It is only on election season we see political leaders here they all vanish right after elections,” a woman from Pumpuni told Nana Yaw Kumi of Skyy News.
According to the residents, some of their colleagues get worried, and therefore have to travel to Apowa whenever they fall ill.
“When our children are sick, we have no option but to transport them to Apowa for medical treatment and the bumpy nature of the road will even worsen the sickness. No driver wants to keep his vehicle on here due to the poor nature of our road, this has compelled us to keep giving birth at home which is not the best. There are times pregnant mothers die with their babies during the home delivery. If we had a health facility here, these could have been avoided. I was lucky to have given birth at the hospital but my sister here gave birth at home, all by herself,” another resident narrated.
Assembly Member of the area, Mr. Dominic Arthur Sam, tells us the communities, through Self-Help Project and proceeds from the premix fuel sale, have for the past three years begun putting up a clinic to serve the three communities. However, the project has stalled due to lack of financial resources.
“We are hoping the MP and the Assembly will help us to complete the project to salvage the situation because when our women are due for delivery, unless we take them to Apowa, and most of them deliver in the middle of the journey, so the situation is very serious,” he noted.
Story: Eric Nana Gyetuah
