The Proprietress

Agatha Amoateng-Boahen

HISTORY OF AUNTIE MIDWIFE (NYINSƐN NE AWOƆ)


The health of a people in any nation is one of the greatest assets of any society. Yet there remains a lot of people with virtually no knowledge about their health especially in our part of the world. This extent of ignorance leads to a lot of complications and death that could have been easily prevented. It is important that women should go through pregnancy, labour and delivery without any complications to themselves and to their babies. Both the mother and baby should receive sufficient care and support immediately after delivery. Unfortunately most women know little about their reproductive health care and that has resulted in many preventable deaths. Statistics shows that in Africa over 250,000 mothers die each year due to pregnancy, labour and delivery and sometimes few days after delivery. This situation cannot be overlooked and

therefore knowledge about the anatomical structure of the body, where they are located and their various functions for early detection of any abnormality has become very necessary. The millennium development goals 4 & 5 also emphasize on improving women's health and reducing maternal and child mortality by 2015.

The alarming rate of maternal mortality and revelations that two thirds (2/3) of these deaths are preventable injected in me as a passion to do something. I ask myself "can't we build a healthy society devoid of preventable deaths". I asked again, "can't the women who are the foundation of the world's families and communities be protected". Indeed something can be done about it. But then I realized that the major problem was ignorance. As the Bible says "lack of knowledge, my people perish". It was true that people were dying out of ignorance. I then discovered that education of mothers and women on their reproductive health was the key. With such a strong passion to improve reproductive health of women, I started organising outreach programmes to give talks concerning issues pertaining to pregnancy and child birth. With the responses and the benefits I realized the recipients of such talks were getting, the idea struck me that more people can benefit from these health educations if it is done on a bigger platform. I therefore realized that the best means of reaching out to the larger audience in the country was through television. Initially there were difficulties securing financial support, getting resource persons and other supporting materials but I was not deterred by any of them. With determination and tenacity of purpose I was able to get the programme airing on television.

OBJECTIVE OF AUNTIE MIDWIFE


The objective of the programme is to bring health education to the average Ghanaian on their reproductive health care especially during pregnancy, labour, delivery and after delivery. Most women know little about their reproductive health. The reproductive health protocol is that all clients (both men and women) are encouraged to make informed choices in respect of their reproductive health Services and the Service provider should also be in a position to provide them with all information and counseling on the following topics;

  • Anatomy and physiology of the Human Reproductive System
  • What makes you a woman
  • Names of the various reproductive organs
  • Functions of the reproductive organs
  • Abnormalities of the reproductive organs
  • Human growth and development
  • Menarche / Spermache
  • What Fertilization is and how it occurs
  • Period of Adolescent and the signs and symptoms of it
  • What pregnancy is and how it occurs as well as where it occurs
  • Signs and symptoms of pregnancy
  • Organs involve during pregnancy
  • Effect of pregnancy on the woman
  • Preparation during pregnancy
  • Nutrition in pregnancy
  • Disease associated with pregnancy
  • Abnormal pregnancy
  • What abortion is, causes of abortion and types of abortion
  • Preparation towards labour
  • Child care
  • Adulthood
  • Parenthood
  • Personal Hygiene
  • Menopause / Andropause
  • Old age
  • STD'S/ J/ HIV Risk Behaviours
  • Anemia in pregnancy
  • Malaria in pregnancy
  • Jaundice in pregnancy
  • Hperemis gravidanus
  • Diabetes in pregnancy
  • Toxaemias of pregnancy
  • The Role of Nutrition in pregnancy
  • Infections in pregnancy
  • What is Abnormal labour and when do we say abnormal labour has occurred
  • Causes of abnormal labour
  • Management and prevention of abnormal labour
  • Complications
  • The affects of STDs on the reproductive organs
  • Effects on the community
  • Complication (39a) Prevention of STDs
  • Gender/ Social/ Cultural issues
  • Rumours and Misconception
  • Nutrition (general)
  • Immunization
  • Breast feeding (exclusive breast feeding).



SAFE MOTHERHOOD

  • Antenatal care
  • Labour and Delivery
  • Abnormal labour
  • Postnatal care/ puerperium
  • Management of the mother and child during postnatal periods
  • Nutrition during that period
  • Congenital abnormalities (e.g. Multiple Sexual Organs)
  • Disease of the New Born.



FAMILY PLANNING

  • What family planning is
  • Various methods of family planning
  • How each method works
  • Advantages and Disadvantages
  • Effectiveness of the methods
  • Side effects and their management
  • Eligibility/ Non eligibility criteria
  • Return to fertility
  • Clarification of Misconceptions / Rumours on Family Planning
  • Follow up and re-supply
  • Proper storage and Disposal of commodity.

RESOURCE PERSONS


Some resource persons who have appeared on the programme to educate viewers on some health issues are Nana Abena Akuamoah Boateng who is a Nutritionist, Theresa Otuo Acheampong who is the Ashanti regional Director of Nursing Services, Mabel Adu Mensah who is a midwifery Tutor at The Komfo Anokye Midwifery Training School and Dr Clayman who is an Obstetrician and a Gynecologist based in Amasaman in the Greater Accra region. 


PROMINENT PEOPLE


Since its inception four (4) years ago, the programme has had a lot of prominent and influential persons participating on its shows.Some of these prominent persons are; Hon Abraham Odum, former Deputy Minister of Health and Hon Maxwell Kofi Dwumah , former Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (K.M.A) Chief Executive and now Member of Parliament for Asokwa Constituency. 



ACHIEVEMENTS


The programme as designed, has chocked some enormous success. Feedback received from viewers of the television programme attest to this. They contend in their feedback that the programme "AUNTIE MIDWIFE" has made a lot of impact on the society. On the average 85-90 calls are received from viewers after each production asking more questions and seeking further clarification. There are others who use the text messaging.


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