The only Midwife at the Goka Helath Centre in the Brong Ahafo Region, Miss Elizabeth Owusua Nyarko, nagged bitterly about the rate at which teenage pregnancy and illegal abortion by using unorthodox method such as inserting herbal concoctions into female private parts in an attempt to get ride of pregnancy has assumed an alarming proportion in the area.
She cited an instance which involved a 14-year old girl pregnant girl, who in an attempt to abort her baby started bleeding profusely but luckily for her, got saved when she was rushed to the nearby hospital.Disclosing this in an exclusive interview at her residence at Goka during a visit to the area, she added that if any measure is not taken to stop the trend it would draw dark clouds over the future of education in the area as well as social life of indigenes.
She also expressed the fear that it would result in rampant drop out from school which would consequently increase the rate of social vices because the young ones are not prepared to cater for their children.
According to her, the alternative would be for relatives of teenagers who have put to bed to intervene to take the responsibility of catering for the babies, which could bring about child trafficking and adoption.
Ms. Elizabeth Owusua Nyarko said recently the Goka clinic has been upgraded to a Health Central status and in view of that the proposed staff quota is supposed to be six (6) comprising a General Nursing Officer, midwife, medical assistance and disease controlling officers but so far she has been the only midwife at the centre.
She disclosed that during her eight-year (8) stay at the health centre she has not experienced any maternal death because as soon as she forces that a case seems to be delicate she quickly refers his clients to Berekum or Drobo for further health care delivery.
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