Quick intervention by two midwives from the Jasikan Municipal Hospital has helped save a mother and her newborn after the woman went into advanced labour while trying to reach the hospital.
The incident occurred on Saturday, August 15, at White House Junction, a suburb of Jasikan in the Oti Region, where the pregnant woman had become stranded while making her way to the health facility.
The midwives, Monica Fiati and Francisca Logosu, both of the hospital’s Labour Ward, responded to an emergency call and immediately rushed to the scene.
According to Ms Fiati, the woman, identified as Mukaila Talahatu, was already in advanced labour when they arrived.
“By the time we got there, we realised that the baby’s head had already emerged, so we quickly assisted the mother to complete the delivery,” she said.
The midwives successfully delivered the baby at the roadside before transporting the mother and her newborn to the Jasikan Municipal Hospital for further medical assessment and care.
Ms Fiati said the mother subsequently developed a minor complication but was receiving the necessary treatment alongside her baby.
The emergency was triggered after Ms Talahatu began experiencing labour pains at about 3:00 a.m. on Saturday.
She told the Ghana News Agency that she had visited the hospital the previous day, August 14, but was advised to return home because she was not yet due for delivery.
When labour pains intensified, she attempted to contact her sister to arrange transportation to the hospital, but the effort was unsuccessful.
Her sister eventually arrived, and the two decided to walk towards the hospital in the hope of finding a vehicle along the way.
However, by the time they reached White House Junction, the baby’s head had begun to emerge, forcing them to seek immediate assistance.
An eyewitness, Linda Ofori, 39, owner of the White House Restaurant where the incident occurred, said she was awakened by screams at about 4:11 a.m.
Although initially frightened, Ms Ofori went outside and discovered the woman in labour with the baby’s head already emerging.
She advised the woman’s sister to go towards the Jasikan Zongo area to find a vehicle to transport the woman to the hospital.
When a vehicle eventually arrived, the seriousness of the situation became apparent, prompting the driver and the woman’s sister to seek professional medical assistance.
A midwife subsequently arrived at the scene and assisted the woman to safely complete the delivery before conveying both mother and baby to the hospital.
Ms Ofori praised the midwives for their swift response and professional intervention.
“The midwives did a good job and need to be appreciated,” she said.
The incident has highlighted the importance of timely emergency response and access to skilled birth attendants, particularly when expectant mothers encounter difficulties reaching health facilities.
Ms Fiati urged pregnant women and their families to seek medical attention promptly once labour begins and to make adequate transportation arrangements ahead of the expected delivery date to minimise delays in reaching health facilities.
