By Ewoenam Kpodo, GNA
Ho, Oct 06, GNA – Ms. Comfort Neequaye, a midwife at Margaret Marquart Catholic Hospital, Kpando, has emerged 2nd Best Nurse/Midwife for the Volta/Oti Region for her low-cost innovations that are improving newborn care and medication safety.
She received a citation, a medal and a double-door fridge with a dispenser at the Regional Awards held on September 30 as part of the Nurses and Midwives Week celebration, the unique way the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) marks International Nurses Day, observed globally on May 12.
Mr. Christian Vorleto, a mental health nurse at Anyanui Health Centre in the Anloga District, emerged Overall Best, while Ms. Cynthia Bamehi Jebumi from Akatsi took third place.
Ms. Neequaye, in an interview with Ghana News Agency (GNA), said she was recognised for two innovations: improvising diapers as baby caps to prevent hypothermia and improving medication administration through a standardised Light wave Health Information Management System (LHIMS) medication entry template.
Under the concept “Turning Necessity into Innovation,” she observed that some mothers arrived in labour without baby caps due to inadequate birth preparedness and/or financial constraints, leaving newborns exposed to heat loss through the head – a major cause of hypothermia.
According to the WHO, newborns, especially preterm babies, are unable to regulate body temperature effectively after birth. To address the gap, she introduced the use of clean, unused newborn diapers as temporary caps until standard caps are available – a practical, low-cost solution for resource-limited settings.
Ms. Neequaye’s second innovation, titled “From Digital Challenge to Safer Care,” tackled medication errors on the LHIMS. She noted that some staff’s difficulties in selecting correct medication, dosage, frequency and timing sometimes caused pharmacy delays and risks of under or over-dispensing.
Through personal research and hands-on practice, she developed a medication-entry template to simplify the process, reduce errors, minimise ward-pharmacy delays and strengthen patient safety.
“I am deeply grateful for this recognition. This award is not only a personal achievement, but a reflection of the support, teamwork, and encouragement I have received from my colleagues, mentors, and loved ones,” Ms. Neequaye said.
“To my fellow nurses and midwives, let us continue to serve with compassion, integrity, and excellence. May we never stop learning, improving, and making a difference in the lives of those entrusted to our care,” she added.
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah/Benjamin Mensah
Reporter: Ewoenam Kpodo, GNA
Reporter’s email address: [email protected]