Pregnant women deliver in the bush trying to access healthcare

Kuoro Barechi Nlowie Baninye II, a Niator divisional Chief has given a harrowing account of how pregnant women in Sangbaka, a predominant farming community in the Sissala West District of the Upper West region deliver in the bush in their bid to access health facilities.

During labour, he revealed that the pregnant women have to trek in their condition due to lack of feeder roads connecting them to other communities that have Community-based Health Planning and Service (CHPS) compounds

During a speech at Buwaa Kelwie festival, he revealed that aside witnessing such incidents himself, it was reported severally to him and he twice made an appeal to government yet, no action has been taken.

“I have received reported cases of women delivering in the bush on their way to healthcare facilities in the area” the chief said.

Sangbaka, a small but a serious farming community in the Buwa Traditional Area of the Sissala West District is a community without electricity and feeder roads to connect it to other communities in the area.

The situation has made it highly difficult for both residents and non-residents to access each other’s community when the need arises, especially when accessing healthcare services and attending other social events.

With a population of about 500 people, residents depend on self-created routes and paths to reach out to neighboring communities.

The chief, Kuoro Barechi Nlowie Baninye II mentioned that the community endures frequent cut offs during rainy seasons and is yet to experience another or more if government fails to pay attention by intervening.

He therefore appealed to the government through the Upper West Regional Minister Alhassan Sulemana and the Member of Parliament for Sissala West constituency Alhassan Patrick Adama to construct feeder roads to link Sangbaka to the rest of the communities in the area.