New mothers at the Kuntenase Government Hospital in the Bosomtwe District will no longer be forced to sleep on hospital floors following the expansion and renovation of the facility’s maternity ward.
The intervention, spearheaded by Member of Parliament for Bosomtwe and former Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, is expected to improve maternal healthcare delivery and reduce overcrowding at the district hospital.
Speaking during the commissioning of the expanded ward, Administrator of the hospital, Nozelle Naa Ashiao, described the previous conditions at the maternity unit as extremely challenging for both mothers and health workers.
According to her, the facility previously operated with less than 10 beds, often leaving the ward overwhelmed and forcing some mothers to lie on the floor after delivery.
She explained that the situation posed health and safety concerns, especially for women recovering from childbirth and caesarean procedures.
“Imagine a mother who has just delivered being forced to lie on the floor; it poses serious challenges to her health and recovery. For health workers too, caring for patients on the floor is physically demanding. But we cannot turn mothers away after delivery,” she added.
Mrs Ashiao noted that the expanded ward will significantly improve maternal care by providing mothers with safer and more comfortable recovery spaces after delivery.
Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum said the decision to expand the maternity ward was informed by the need to improve maternal healthcare and reduce maternal mortality in the district.
“We want to reduce maternal mortality to the barest minimum in Bosomtwe. I visited this place and saw some people lying on the floor and I thought if we could eliminate that, we should,” he stated.
The Bosomtwe MP disclosed that the project added 12 more beds to the maternity unit, ensuring expectant mothers are not denied healthcare due to lack of space.
“We are going to do everything possible to ensure nobody is turned away because there is no bed,” he assured.
The newly expanded maternity ward is expected to ease congestion, improve healthcare delivery and enhance the dignity and comfort of mothers receiving care at the Kuntenase Government Hospital.
By Ibrahim Abubakar
