MoH to introduce ultrasound machines in rural areas

The Ministry of Health (MoH) will introduce the use of portable ultrasound machines that would be used to detect pregnancy complications in rural communities this year.

The objective is to save the lives of expectant mothers.

Speaking to the Daily Graphic, the Public Relations Officer of the MoH, Mr Tony Goodman, said the purpose was to improve maternal health and prevent deaths during child birth in the rural areas. He also said though the focus was on rural areas, the device would be distributed across the country.

The machines 

Mr Goodman said the ultrasound machines were handy and used solar energy so they could work effectively in areas without electric power.

“Health practitioners use their hands to touch the stomach of  pregnant women to detect whether there are any complications and the portable ultrasound machines would replace that,” he said.

Sustainability

To ensure sustainability, Mr Goodman indicted that all community health nurses would be trained in the use of the device. Community health nurses, he explained, would visit households to enable more pregnant women have access to the device.

He also expressed the hope that the initiative would reduce maternal mortality to the barest minimum rate.