News
‘Equip polyclinic theatres to improve antenatal care’
A philanthropist and antenatal care (ANC) advocate, Mrs Safia Ayivor, has called on the government, private organisations and individuals to prioritise the provision of anaesthesia machines and surgical packs for polyclinic theatres to improve Antenatal Care (ANC) services across the country.
According to her, equipping polyclinics with such critical medical facilities would help save the lives of mothers and babies, particularly in emergency situations where timely surgical intervention would be required.
“If a polyclinic can safely perform a Cesarean section (C-section), it relieves massive pressure on teaching hospitals and saves precious time for the mother,” she stated.
Mrs Ayivor made the remarks after recently donating toiletries, diapers and other essential items worth thousands of Ghana cedis to new mothers and expectant women at the Ashaiman Municipal Hospital in the Greater Accra Region.
The donation, which formed part of activities marking her 40th birthday celebration, was aimed at supporting mothers, especially those from deprived backgrounds, in caring for their newborns.
Joined by family and friends, Mrs Ayivor and her team presented the items to about 50 mothers and pregnant women to support them during the early stages of childcare and motherhood.
She noted that improving maternal healthcare delivery in Ghana requires a shift from crisis management to building a resilient healthcare system capable of handling emergencies effectively.
“Donations act as a vital bandage, but equipping polyclinics to handle emergencies on-site is what will ultimately save lives,” she stressed.
Mrs Ayivor and her team also interacted with nurses and caregivers at the facility to explore additional ways of supporting the polyclinic in the future.
Highlighting some of the challenges confronting ANC units and maternity wards, she pointed to severe space constraints, explaining that many facilities were frequently overwhelmed by the high number of patients.
According to her, the limited space results in long waiting times for pregnant women, while overcrowded wards place enormous pressure on frontline midwives and nurses.
“This operational pressure stretches frontline midwives and nurses to their absolute limits,” she stated.
Mrs Ayivor further called on benevolent organisations and individuals to support healthcare facilities by investing in critical infrastructure rather than focusing solely on consumable items.
“Donations should not just be about consumables, individuals and organisations must also target critical infrastructure to improve healthcare delivery,” she added.
By Jemima Esinam Kuatsinu
The Danish Children Fund (DCF), a Denmark-based NGO supporting children’s education, has encouraged students to prioritise their education and desist from misuse and abuse of drugs to enhance their holistic growth and development.
The call was made during a day’s sensitisation seminar on drug abused for students in Tamale to help them make informed life choices and stay away from abusing drug substances.
The event, held under an initiative dubbed: ‘Youths in Focus,’ brought together students, teachers and officials from the Ghana Police Service, Narcotics Control Commission and Ghana Education Service to educate young people on the dangers associated with drugs abused and their addiction trends.
Mr Benjamin Yin, Project Manager of DCF and Headmaster of Kalpohin SDA Basic School, speaking during the event, said the intervention was necessitated by increasing concerns over drugs abused among the youth in Tamale.
He said the organisation, which primarily focused on supporting needy children to remain in school, recognised the need to complement educational support with interventions that empowered young people to make responsible decisions.
Mr Yin highlighted some achievements of the DCF in the education sector in Tamale and said the organisation currently sponsored 55 vulnerable children to remain in school, most of whom were orphans.
He explained that out of the number, 23 beneficiaries were at Kalpohin SDA School, 18 at Tamale SDA School and 15 at Jakarayili School.
He said the support package included learning materials, food and other essential items to prevent school dropouts.
Beyond educational sponsorship, he said the organisation had invested in educational infrastructure to improve learning environments in beneficiary schools.
The Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Mr Richard Akumi, Deputy Northern Regional Crime Officer, who addressed the students during the event, described the abuse of drugs among young people as a major challenge requiring collective action.
He said the Ghana Police Service had intensified efforts to tackle the abuse of drug in the region through law enforcement operations and community sensitisation programmes.
ASP Mr Akumi noted that the Northern Regional Police Command’s Special Operations Team had been carrying out operations across Tamale to dismantle drug hotspots and arrest suspects involved in drug-related activities. –GNA
Mr Samuel Akrasi, Principal of the Otaakrom Technical Institute in the Atwima Mponua District, has urged the media and research institutions to pay greater attention to youth unemployment after second-cycle education in the country.
He said increased reportage and research on unemployment among graduates of senior high schools and other second-cycle institutions would help create awareness at both grassroots and national levels and compel authorities and stakeholders to take the necessary steps to address the challenge.
Mr Akrasi made the call in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) after a sod-cutting ceremony for the construction of four workshops for the Institute.
He stressed the need for the media and researchers to investigate and publish data on unemployed graduates from senior high schools and other second-cycle institutions, noting that, in his view, the number of unemployed youth from such institutions exceeded those from Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions.
According to him, TVET institutions produced more employable and self-employed youth than other second-cycle institutions in the country.
Mr Akrasi appealed for increased investment in TVET institutions through improved infrastructure, logistics, and training support to make technical education more attractive and accessible to the youth.
The principal noted that TVET education was becoming increasingly modernised and described the proposed workshops, expected to be completed within 18 months, as timely and beneficial to trainees.
The $7.5 million project, funded by the Social Investment Fund (SIF), includes an administration block and modern workshops for the Fashion Designing, Catering, Electricals, and Agro-Processing Departments of the Institute.
Mr Abass Nurudeen, Chief Executive Officer of SIF, said the project formed part of the 28 million-dollar Post-COVID-19 Skills Development and Productivity Enhancement Project (PSDPEP), which seeks to improve the local economy by empowering the youth with employable skills under the TVET programme.
Mr Issahak Ibrahim, District Chief Executive for Atwima Mponua, described the project as a symbol of hope, opportunity and innovation that would help nurture a skilled generation for the district and beyond. –GNA
