Prevention of maternal mortality in Amansie East District of Ashanti Region, Ghana
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Date
2005-11-08
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Abstract
When considering prevention of maternal mortality in Ghana, it is equally expedient to deliberate on factors that contribute to the problem, taking into account the number of people that are affected by the problem. The study focused on identifying practicable measures that could be used to forestall maternal mortality in Amansie East District.
The study was a cross-sectional type with a representative sample of 232 respondents. This was made up of 200 women of reproductive age group and 32 health workers. A multistage sampling, including simple random, systematic and purposive sampling was employed. Secondary data was collected from existing literature.
Three (3) cases of maternal mortality were recorded during the period of the study. These were due to ruptured uterus, HIV opportunistic infection and anaemia in the puerperium. Dominase S.D.A. and the district hospitals provided comprehensive emergency obstetric care. Whereas Akomaa Memorial Hospital, Kortwia; Kokofu General 1-lospital; Dunkuraa, Asiwa and Tebeso Health Centres also provided basic emergency obstetric care in the district. Though Kokofu Hospital had a theatre with surgical equipment, they were not able to perform caesarean section nor any other surgery because they did not have any surgeon. Kokofti did not even detain nor admit patients in their facility because the medical practitioners did not want to come back to the hospital after close of work.
Looking at deliveries from January to June this year (2005) for the district, 40.7 % of them were attended to by Traditional Birth Attendants (TBA’s). At the peripheries TBA’s attended to about 60% to 70% deliveries. The study further revealed that there was delay in accessing health 1cifiIies in the district. This was partly due to the bad nature of road network, and poor staffing at the health facilities in the district. Based on the findings of the study, recommendations have been made to the various concerned or interested stakeholders to stem the problem. Thus health professionals who are indigenous of the district should volunteer to work in the district, particularly at the peripheries. Members of the communities should be educated on the need to avoid delays. TBA’s should be given proper training and refresher courses. Kokofu General Hospital should be provided with a general doctor and a surgeon. The hospital should also admit patients.
The Ministry of Health in collaboration with the District Assembly should sensitize the people on the dangers involved in unsafe abortion. Every hospital and health centre particularly those at the peripheries should be provided with ambulance and other proper communication systems. Roads at the peripheries should be well constructed and at least grave led. Telephone lines should also be extended to the peripheries.
The District Assembly in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and the communities should endeavour to promote girl-child education to raise educational level, increase age at first birth and finally reduce total fertility rate.
Description
A thesis submitted to the School of Graduate
Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and
Technology, Kumasi, in partial fulfilment of the
requirements for the degree of Master of Public
Health in Population and Reproductive Health, 2005