Midwives shortage is a nationwide problem

The Ahanta West District Director of Health, Dr. Kofi Sutherland, says there is a nationwide shortage of midwives, therefore, efforts are being made to train more of such health professionals to fill the vacancies.

His comments followed complaints of inadequate midwives at the Agona-Nkwanta Health Centre, thus putting a lot of pressure on few midwives at the facility and affecting quality healthcare.

Last week, a pregnant woman delivered at the healthcentre with the assistance of some good Samaritans because there was no mid-wife at the facility at that time.

However, GNA investigations revealed that three mid-wives were supposed to man the facility.

Dr. Sutherland told the Ghana News Agency on Tuesday that an additional mid-wife would be posted to the facility to bring the number to four.

He added that two midwives who were sponsored by the district assembly had been posted to the Dixcove Government Hospital. One midwife would be posted to the Apowa Health Centre and one would be posted to Egyambra Community Health and Planning Services (CHPS) compound.

Dr. Sutherland said re-chargeable lamps were provided to all health facilities in the district and appealed to any health facility that does not have them to inform the District Health Directorate.

The Director-General of Ghana Health Service, Dr. Ebenezer Appiah-Denkyira, told the media in Sekondi that retired midwives would be recruited to serve at CHPS compounds across the country in view of the shortage of such health professionals in the country.