A community health nurse in Bonkro, Eastern Region, Yunbow Michael Jordan, has assisted a pregnant woman to deliver in a tricycle due to a lack delivery bed available at the CHPs compound facility.
On December 29, 2023, Justina Kwame, 32, arrived at the facility, intending to give birth. Unfortunately, the lack of a delivery bed led Nurse Yunbow Michael Jordan to transport her to Maame Krobo clinic.
Surprisingly, labor commenced around 10:00 am during their journey. Undeterred by the challenging circumstances, Nurse Yunbow Michael Jordan successfully delivered the baby boy in the tricycle.
Post-delivery, both mother and newborn were promptly transferred to Maame Krobo clinic for further medical attention.
Nurse Jordan shared the challenging situation, explaining, “they came to Bonkro to deliver, but we don’t have a delivery bed, so we were taking her to Krobo when labor set in, and I had to deliver her in the tricycle. We didn’t have water and other delivery items with us, but we managed. When we reached the next community, we requested water to keep both mother and baby clean.”
This incident highlights the healthcare challenges faced by communities in the Afram Plains South Area, characterized by poor roads and insufficient access to health facilities and midwives.
Nurse Yunbow Michael Jordan, a BSc. Public Health student nurse at Wisconsin International University College, has a history of such delivery interventions.
In 2018, he assisted a pregnant woman in labor while en route to Dome, a remote community in the area, underscoring the persistent challenges in the region’s healthcare infrastructure.
Statistics from the Eastern Regional Health Directorate reveal alarming figures of maternal deaths. In 2021, 89 institutional maternal mortalities were recorded, and between January to September in 2022, 62 cases were reported.
Expressing deep concern over the high number of maternal mortality in the region, the Eastern Regional Health Director, Dr. Winfred Ofosu, emphasized the significant social implications for families and communities.
He highlighted the ripple effect on children left orphaned, husbands losing wives, and the overall societal impact.
Dr. Ofosu stressed the link between maternal deaths and high disability rates among women. Each maternal death, he noted, is associated with approximately 15 more women experiencing various forms of disabilities resulting from pregnancy or childbirth complications.
To address this pressing concern, the Eastern Regional Health Directorate of Ghana Health Service launched the “Zero Tolerance for Maternal Deaths” initiative in 2022, under the theme “Stop Preventable Maternal Deaths and Disability.”
Dr. Ofosu emphasized that many maternal deaths are preventable, pointing to issues like blood shortages in health facilities, and delays in transporting and referring pregnant women due to poor road networks and inadequate ambulances.