Dr Gifty Amoakowaa Boakye Ansah, a paediatrician and Head of Child Health at the Manhyia District Hospital, has called on the Government, philanthropists, and corporate organisations to help expand the hospital’s Mother and Baby Unit (MBU) as rising admissions, especially preterm cases, continue to overwhelm the facility.
Speaking at a durbar to mark World Prematurity Month, she revealed that the unit had recorded a steady rise in premature births, accompanied by worsening congestion that affected care and comfort for mothers and their newborns.
As of October 2025, the hospital had recorded a three per cent increase in preterm deliveries.
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Providing figures, she said the unit in 2024 recorded 982 admissions, including 125 preterm babies, representing 14 per cent of the total. Eight infants died, resulting in a 6.4 per cent mortality rate.
By October 2025, admissions had already reached 1,011, with 153 preterm infants, constituting 17 per cent of all admissions. The year had recorded 10 infant deaths, representing a mortality rate of 6.5 per cent.
Dr Boakye Ansah said the global observance underscored the need for enhanced clinical, emotional, and logistical support for families of preterm infants.
She expressed concern that mothers continue to battle limited space and essential resources during their stay in the unit.
While applauding the Kofi Job Foundation for recently donating incubators and warmers, she stressed that far more support was needed to reduce the strain on staff and improve service delivery.
Beyond logistical pressures, she identified oxygen therapy as a key financial burden, noting that although the National Health Insurance Scheme covers many expenses, oxygen therapy often requires out-of-pocket payments, leaving families distressed.
She further appealed to the government to post more permanent nurses to the unit to address ongoing staffing shortages. Dr Boakye Ansah also encouraged fathers of preterm infants to offer strong emotional support to their partners during these difficult moments.
