Free Medicare for Pregnant Women

THE GOVERNMENT has come out with a new policy to provide free medical care for pregnant women on their first four visits to health institutions throughout the country.

This health policy is aimed at encouraging pregnant women to avail themselves of pre-natal health care to prevent intra-uterine and maternal deaths among pregnant women in Ghana.

This was disclosed by Mrs. Elizabeth Adjirackor, a representative of the Ahafo Ano-North District Director of Health Service, Miss Elizabeth Danso, at a forum organised by the Betiako health centre to sensitise pregnant women on their dos and don'ts at Betiako near Tepa in the Ashanti Region.

Mrs. Adjirackor explained that, to ensure the success of the new policy, the Ministry of Health (MOH) is to liaise with opinion leaders, traditional authorities and District Assemblies to enact bye-laws to ensure that women are compelled to patronize health institutions during pregnancy.

The director's representative hinted that the MOH is to train more Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) in the countryside to help create the necessary pre-natal health awareness among pregnant women.

She advised husbands to always assume their full responsibilities when their wives are pregnant since, according to her, the period of pregnancy is a special and delicate one.

Speaking at the same forum, Mr. Asamoah Ameyaw, an official at the District Directorate of Health Service disclosed that a survey conducted by the MOH in the district last year, indicated that teenage pregnancy is fast becoming a big problem in the district.

Ameyaw explained that at the end of the survey, 220 teenagers were identified as being pregnant.

He said most of the pregnant girls were between the ages of 16, 17 and 18 years.

The health officer gave the details as 13 years - 2 girls, 14 years - 8 girls, 15 - 20, 16 - 61, 17 - 60, 18 -45 and 19 years - 24 girls.

Ameyaw said when the pregnant girls were interviewed, it came to light that the major causes of the problem were; financial constraints, lack of proper sleeping places and broken homes.

He gave the statistics as: those who got pregnant due to financial problems - 147, lack of proper sleeping places - 47 and broken homes - 25.

"Interestingly, 147 out of the total 220 girls who were pregnant said they sleep in the same room with their parents.

This explains that the best way to prevent children from early sex is not by sleeping with them," he advised.

The officer, therefore, called on parents to take proper care and control of their children, especially the girls to prevent teenage pregnancy and all forms of immoral acts.

This, he said, can be ensured by providing the children with their necessary needs.