After nearly an hour waiting in the humid heat, dust, irritating and glia between anarchists horn of a chaotic traffic jam achimota finally arriving at the Hospital, a hospital in a district north of Accra. The long dark corridor of the main entrance leads into a vast space, where the number of patients waiting to be visited on the benches scattered. 10:30 am and is already very hot Achimota. The right wing, an area a little 'aside, the benches are occupied exclusively by women who are pregnant: this is the maternity ward. Expectant mothers, some young and others not so young, are numerous in their colorful clothes and very patiently. E 'Thursday, the day of pre-natal consultations. I just crossed the threshold of the office when they are quickly greeted by Patricia Conduah, director of obstetrics hospital.
Patricia has 55 years and has worked achimota Hospital for many years. In 35 years of work, has seen many children were born, often in difficult conditions, he says as he invites me into the delivery room. This small room has two beds obstetricians, an old metal cabinet, a table rusty, some medical matter and the pink color of the letters bear witness to the dilapidated state of the place. Patricia explains that often when both beds are already taken, you put a mattress on the floor and mothers give birth there on the ground. "It's not ideal, but we have no choice. We must do this," he adds.
There is a piece of paper on the wall. Is a list of things that mothers must bring with them the day of childbirth, sanitary towels, old clothes, antiseptics, soap, basins, etc. "We do not have the equipment and showers do not work," says Patricia. This list is given to young women during the first visit. Most of them buy these things gradually, one by one. Some women even use all nine months of pregnancy to put together these objects. Also, if a mother has the misfortune to be allergic to one of the hospital pharmacy, the insurance does not cover additional drugs to the patient and it will then pay them. In 2008, when the Government of Ghana has developed a policy of free access to treatment for pregnant women and children under five years of age, the number of visits and consultations has increased dramatically. From 2008 to 2009, for example, there were 430,000 visits to pregnant women more than the previous year. This explains the current saturation condition of hospitals in Ghana, who are having problems keeping with this significant increase in the number of patients, such as the maternity ward of achimota able to see up to 400 people a day. This figure is all the more impressive for a hospital where there is only one physician, eight nurses and 20 midwives.
Patricia invites me then in rest room. The muffled sound of an old black and white television is the background of the room in which eight mothers and their babies are lying on beds small and worn. 'It is too small and always crowded. We need at least 20 more beds, "he says. After delivery, mothers remain under observation in this room for eight hours before to be sent home. "We do not have enough space to keep them longer," he adds. Several years ago, hospitals were not as crowded, but many more mothers and children died in childbirth.
Today, the maternity ward of achimota had the pleasure to attend births nine: seven girls and two boys.
