Mothers advised to practise exclusive breastfeeding
The Vice-President of the Paediatric Society of Ghana, Dr Mame Yaa Nyarko, has underscored the relevance of exclusive breastfeeding, stating that the act tends to reduce the risk of lactating mothers acquiring breast and cervical cancer.
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She stated that breastfeeding was also essential to both mothers and children, adding that the act of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months after birth helped mothers to regain their pre-pregnancy weight.
Breastfeeding workshop
At a training workshop for midwives in Accra last Monday, Dr Nyarko remarked that despite the positive gains, records indicated that currently, less than 50 per cent of mothers in Ghana practised exclusive breastfeeding within the first six months.
She, therefore, advised health practitioners to educate mothers on how to practise exclusive breastfeeding and maintain lactation.
Thirty midwives
The workshop, organised by Philips Healthcare, a subsidiary of Royal Philips, an electrical production company, was to train the midwives in how to use ultrasound system during pregnancy and at the onset of labour.
Thirty midwives selected from various health centres were also taught the importance of breastfeeding and how to encourage mothers to exclusively breastfeed their babies.
Dubbed: “Improving clinical outcomes through midwifery-led maternal health,” the training was also used to unveil the mobile ultrasound system, ‘VISIQ’ which provides high quality images for expectant mothers.
Aside from the training programme, Philips Healthcare also presented the Pentecost Hospital at Madina with a mobile ultrasound system at the cost of GH¢15,000, for monitoring and the early detection of complication during pregnancy.
Ultrasound training
A Senior Application Specialist at Philips, Ms Johanna Maack, who took the midwives through the ultrasound scan session, told the Daily Graphic that the training programme was essential for midwives because it would empower them to perform ultrasound scan.
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She said if midwives were trained in how to do ultrasound scan, there would be an improvement in maternal health care in most health facilities.
The General Manager of the Pentecost Hospital, Mr George Afrifa, said the VISIQ ultrasound system donated to the hospital would improve maternal health care there.
He said the hospital averagely performed about 30 ultrasound scans and handled about 10 deliveries daily.
Proper assessment
Mr Afrifa remarked that the training would also enable the midwives to make proper assessment of the expectant mother and the unborn baby, through the performance of ultrasound scan.
According to him, the training was essential since midwives were at the frontline in childbirth, hence the need for them to be well trained.
He commended Philips Healthcare for its support and gave an assurance that the system would be put to good use.