Central Region Health Directorate awards drivers for saving lives of mothers
Kweku Ewusie, a 40-year old taxi driver from Ajumako in the Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam (AEE) District of the Central Region, who saved the life of an expectant mother following his timely response and donation of blood, has been awarded.
Ewusie after transporting the pregnant woman to the health centre waited to ensure that she had delivered safely, and later donated his blood to save her life.
The Central Regional Health Directorate led by Dr. Yaw Ofori-Yeboah, Gomoa East District Director of Health Services gave Mr. Ewusie a special award of a flat screen television during the Regional launch of the “Campaign on Accelerated Reduction of Maternal Mortality in Africa (ARMMA)” at Elmina on Monday.
Another driver, Yaw Ketu from Assin North was also awarded for also going the extra mile to transport pregnant women, particularly those living in the remote parts to health facilities.
Ketu mastered courage and escape from gun shots by armed robbers when transporting a pregnant woman in labour together with a midwife to a health facility. He received a 15-inch colour television.
The arrangement formed part of strategies to reduce the high rate of maternal mortality in the Region due to the poor transportation in the remote areas which make it very difficult to transport women in labour to health facilities on time.
The Ghana Health Service, therefore, in 2006 signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) to ensure that women get access to transport as soon as they experienced labour pains or have any problem.
Three other drivers, Kwame Arko, 45, from Enyan Ebaasa in the AEE district, Kwesi Toku from Twifo-Hemang-Lower-Denkyira and William Afetor from Abakrampa in the Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese (AAK) districts were adjudged the first, second and third best drivers respectively.
They transported 18, 17 and 10 pregnant women respectively, during the year and received a double-door fridge, 29-inch flat screen colour television and a gas cooker in that order.
Dr. Samuel Tetteh Kwashie, Regional Director of Health Services identified pregnancy induced hypertension as a major contributing cause of maternal deaths and expressed concern about the high rate of early teen pregnancies in the region.
Source: GNA