Pregnant women and midwives at the Holy Family Hospital in Berekum in the Brong Ahafo region are calling on Health Ministry to provide incubators to the hospital’s Mother and Baby Unit.
The request, according to them, is to prevent the “Kangaroo-style” of warming sick newly born babies at the facility due to inadequate incubators at the hospital.
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A visit by Berekumman Citizens Association’s Global Women’s organiser, Madam Afia Badu, to the hospital has revealed that the facility has only one incubator.
Madam Afia Badu shared her experience of how premature and sick babies are wrapped and tied to their mothers to keep them warm and alive with Adom News.
The critical care specialist at the hospital, Madam Vida Adu also told Adom news that in critical situations, midwives have no option than to pack two to three children in the only functioning incubator despite the possibility of transfer of infections.
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Some mothers of newborn babies our reporter, Kwasi Donyina of Chriss FM spoke to said it was heartbreaking to see a sick child dying because of a lack of incubators.
Adom news also spoke with the District Director of Health in the Berekum Municipality, Duut Bedima, who said he was aware the hospital lacked a lot of equipment.
He said he had written to the regional health directorate about two years ago but has had no response from them.
They will survive in Jesus name..the incubator is more than useless my died in one
Kangaroo Mother Care is a proven and recommended practice by the World Health Organization (WHO) that strengthens the bond between mother and baby, aid flow or breastmilk and reduce shortage of breath. Please lets educate the public well, yes incubators are needed as as kangaroo care.