Assembly Members must help in Health Education

An appeal has been made to members of district assemblies to help health personnel to mount effective health education campaigns.

This, they could do by inviting health personnel to educate the people whenever durbars and other programmes are organized in their communities.

Making the appeal at a meeting of the Kwaebibirem District, Mrs. Charlotte Amponsah, district Public Health Nurse noted that if the Health personnel on their own, organized community durbars on health education, the response was usually poor.

Mrs. Amponsah said since the health of the people was vital, it was necessary for all stakeholders including churches, mosques and chiefs to help health personnel to mount health awareness programmes.

The Public Health Nurse also asked District Assembly Members to organize community transport systems to convey pregnant women needing emergency transport to take them to health facilities to deliver.

She also asked pregnant women about to deliver not to wait till the last minute to get to the health facilities since it could be dangerous to do so.

Mrs Amponsah called on assembly members to convince their people to attend ante-natal clinics at least four times before delivery and ensure that they immunized their children without fail to ensure that they enjoyed sound health.

She said the Regional Health Directorate would give award to any assembly member who helped in health education.

Mrs Amponsah asked pregnant women to protect themselves and their unborn children against malaria which could threaten their lives by sleeping under impregnated treated bed nets which was as cheap as 20,000 cedis.

She however regretted that many pregnant women instead of using them wait until delivery, saying they needed that as “decoration”.

The district public health nurse cautioned pregnant women against the use of herbal medicine since it could be responsible for the death of the mother and or child during delivery.

Source: GNA