Bolgatanga:A Community Health Nurse, Ms. Esther Ali, from the Pumpungu Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compound in Bolgatanga Municipality, successfully assisted in saving the lives of a mother and her newborn after an unplanned home delivery occurred in a bush. The mother, Madam Mary Alobase, was unable to reach a health facility in time for the birth of her child.
According to Ghana News Agency, Ms. Ali received an emergency call about the incident around 600 AM while preparing for work. The call was from Madam Alobase's husband, who reported that his wife had delivered at home and needed immediate assistance. Ms. Ali, who had never conducted a delivery independently before, reached out for guidance from a relieving midwife at the Sherigu Health Centre.
Upon arriving at the scene, Ms. Ali found that Madam Alobase had delivered in an open space in the bush. The mother had gone to the bush to ease herself and bathe when the baby unexpectedly arrived. The newborn was found on the lap of an elderly woman, the umbilical cord still attached, and the placenta not yet delivered.
Ms. Ali acted promptly by covering the baby to shield it from the cold, clamping and cutting the umbilical cord, and administering oxytocin to facilitate the delivery of the placenta. With help from bystanders, she moved Madam Alobase onto a cloth spread on the grass and completed the delivery of the placenta.
After ensuring both mother and baby were stable, Ms. Ali organized transportation to take them to the health facility for further care. She reported that the baby was in good condition, and upon arrival at the clinic, the regular midwife took over their care. Both mother and child received their first doses of the oral polio vaccine and Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccine and were discharged later that evening.
Madam Alobase expressed her gratitude to Ms. Ali for her swift intervention and professionalism, confirming that both she and her baby were doing well.