The Medical Students’ Association (MSA) of University of Cape Coast (UCC) has taken its campaign on under-five, maternal mortality and morbidity to the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem (KEEA) Municipality as part of its 15th Health Week celebration.
The students of the Association held a mini durbar at Komenda to sensitise residents, especially women and adolescents within the Municipality, on the right information about pregnancy as a measure to curb deaths among pregnant women.
Attended by traditional leaders, community opinion leaders and schoolchildren, the occasion was characterised by a host of activities, including a health screening, free registration of National Health Insurance cards, drama performances, cultural performance, acrobatics and speeches.
The event was on the theme, "Decoding Maternal and Under Five Morbidity and Mortality; the Role of the National Health Insurance Authority."
Addressing participants, the Quality Assurance Manager of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Mrs. Rebecca Boakye-Yiadom, said both renewal and new cards for pregnant women were absolutely free of charge.
She said now, females could get family planning services by using NHIS card. She added that the inclusion of family planning on the NHIA sought to help women protect themselves from unwanted pregnancies as well as help them space their deliveries.
Mrs. Boakye-Yiadom, therefore, implored all pregnant women who had not registered with the Scheme to do so to enable them access better medical care before and after delivery. She added that the package for maternal services had been expanded to include laboratory, ultrasound, blood test, and the management of acute episodes of morbidities, including emergencies.
The Regional Quality Assurance Managress urged people in the community to participate in the health screening exercises to reduce the risk of developing complications.
The KEEA Municipal Health Director, Mrs. Catherine Ampah-Brient, for her part, noted that the Municipality had witnessed significant improvements in maternal and newborn outcomes.
She attributed the feat to the relentless dedication and commitment of all stakeholders in the healthcare service delivery for the tremendous health success.
She, however, decried the rising rate at which family members of the sick preferred to visit prayer camps for healing instead of seeking healthcare at the hospital. Mrs. Ampah-Brient added that it was not the best for people who were sick to be detained at prayer camps for long periods and were only asked to go to the health facilities when they were at the point of death.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for KEEA, Mr. Samuel Atta Mills, expressed gratitude to the School of Medical Sciences for the gesture.
He advised young girls to practice and maintain personal hygiene habits for healthy living. The MP added that good hygiene should be part of the daily routine of young girls, and urged them to visit health facilities regularly to check up on their health status to ensure they lived healthy lifestyles.
He also pleaded with his constituents to desist from taking junk foods since it was detrimental to human health.
The Dean of the School of Medical Sciences, Prof. Sebastian Eliason addressing participants
The Dean of the School of Medical Sciences, Prof. Sebastian Eliason, thanked residents of KEEA for hosting the medical students for five days in the Municipality.
He asked them to take advantage of the free health screening to know about their health statuses.
The President of the Medical Students’ Association, Maame Sarfowaa Obeng Darko, advised beneficiaries of the health screening to engage in healthy lifestyle to improve their general wellbeing.
As part of the programme, a performance by some pupils depicting the essence of pregnant women to visit healthcare facilities was staged.
Source: Documentation and Information Section-UCC