Credit: By Godfred Aaneamenga Polkuu
Pumpungu (U/E), Oct. 25, GNA –Ms Esther Ali, a Community Health Nurse (CHN) at the Pumpungu Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compound in the Bolgatanga Municipality, has helped save the lives of a mother and her newborn after the baby was unexpectedly delivered at home before they could reach a health facility.
The CHN, who said she had never independently conducted a delivery before the incident, said she received an emergency call about the incident at about 0600 hours, while preparing for work.
She told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview that the woman, Madam Mary Alobase’s husband arrived at the health facility to report that his wife had delivered at home, which prompted him to seek guidance from a more experienced midwife.
Ms Ali said after her initial attempt to call the midwife at the facility was unsuccessful, she contacted a relieving midwife at the Sherigu Health Centre for instructions on the essential items to carry to the scene.
“I picked them and quickly rushed with the woman’s husband,” she recounted.
Ms Ali said upon arriving at the scene, she discovered that the woman had delivered in an open space in the bush, while preparing to come to the clinic.
Madam Alobase had reportedly gone to ease herself in the bush and take a bath before proceeding to the facility when the baby came out unexpectedly.
Ms Ali said she found Madam Alobase seated in front of an elderly woman who was holding the newborn on her lap, with the umbilical cord still attached and the placenta yet to be delivered.
She immediately covered the baby to protect it from the cold, clamped and cut the umbilical cord, and administered oxytocin to help manage the delivery of the placenta.
“When I got to the scene, I saw that the baby was on top of an old woman’s laps with the mother seated in front, still with the umbilical cord directly to the baby. The placenta was not yet out.
“The baby was exposed to the weather, so I quickly covered it, and then I clamped the cord and cut. Then I administered oxytocin, which I carried along with me. Then after that, I spread a cloth on the grass, and with assistance from those that were standing around, we lifted her onto the cloth, and then I delivered the placenta,” she told the GNA.
Ms Ali said she subsequently cleaned the mother and baby and asked the family to arrange transportation to take them to the health facility for further care.
She said the baby appeared to be in good condition when she assessed it, after which both mother and child were taken to the clinic, where the regular midwife took over their care.
Providing an update on their condition, she said both mother and baby were doing well and had received their first doses of the oral polio vaccine (OPV) and Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) vaccine.
“They were discharged later that evening because mother and child were fine,” she said.
Following the incident, the GNA visited Madam Alobase at her home, where the visibly happy mother corroborated Ms Ali’s account, confirmed that she and her baby girl were doing well, and expressed gratitude to Ms Ali for her prompt response and professionalism.
GNA
Edited by Caesar Abagali /Kenneth Odeng Adade
Reporter: Godfred Aaneamenga Polkuu
Reporter’s email: [email protected]