Mortality rate at Dormaa Presbyterian Hospital reduces

Mortality rate among newborns at the Paediatric Centre of the Dormaa Presbyterian Hospital in the Brong Ahafo Region has reduced from 2.6 per cent in 2014 to 1.3 per cent in 2016.

This resulted from a fund established to support the centre with essential medications, tools and equipment, and payment for emergency services rendered to the kids.

The decline in newborn deaths over the past three years was attributed to the availability of essential medicines and equipment purchased from a fund established to save newborn kids from needless deaths.

Newborns at the hospital lose their lives in emergency situations due to lack of essential medications, hospital tools and equipment required for their survival.

It was as part of efforts to save newborns from losing their lives in emergency situations that the management of the hospital established the fund, dubbed, “Sick Kids Fund”, to support the Paediatric Centre with essential medications, among others.

Outcome of the fund

At this year’s Charity Cocktail and Concert at Dormaa-Ahenkro, a Medical Officer at the hospital, Dr Cephas Avoka, said the fund had over the years served children in Dormaa and its environs, part of the Western Region and neighbouring Cote d’Ivoire.

The programme was organised to increase awareness of the existence of the Sick Kids Fund.

It brought together hundreds of people from the Dormaa community and beyond to contribute to the fund.

Dr Avoka explained that since the inception of the fund, the hospital had saved countless lives of children right at the Ansuaa Ababio Paediatric Centre, adding that: “Their lives are living testimonies of the impact that each of your contributions has made and continues to make in this area.”

He urged the Ministry of Health, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and civil society groups to learn from the example of the people of Dormaa-Ahenkro and promote the initiative as one worthy of emulation in all communities within the country.

He encouraged the public to cultivate the habit of giving back to their communities and thanked the people of Dormaa for claiming ownership of child healthcare.

Bed branding

In a related development, the hospital launched a project dubbed “Bed Branding”, an initiative that provided an opportunity for people to eulogise themselves or their family members by adopting a bed at the ward with the name of the person or family embossed on the bed.

The Dormaa Aduanahene of the Dormaa Traditional Area, Barima Yeboah Kordie, called on the public to support the management of the hospital to promote and maintain the initiative.

He pledged the Dormaa Traditional Council’s support towards raising funds to support the Pediatric Centre to help save the lives of kids in the area.

“Since the fund is to benefit kids in our communities, let us all support the initiative to save the lives of newborn kids at the hospital,” Barima Kordie stated.