Pregnant women urged to patronize NHIS

Mrs. Agnes Buabin, Senior Nursing Officer in-charge of Maternity at the Juaso District Hospital, has called on pregnant women to endeavour to register with the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to enable them to attend antenatal clinic to avoid complication during their deliveries.

She said most pregnant women could not attend antenatal clinic due to lack of funds resulting in preventable complications during labour.

Mrs Buabin, who said this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency at Juaso, noted that, the situation was a major challenge to the fight against infant and maternal mortality, adding that, the NHIS was the best solution to the problem.

She disclosed that 41 out of 85 women who delivered at the hospital
in December had no health insurance, compelling the hospital's authorities to detain some of them who could not settle their bills.

According to her, the situation was disheartening and required an intensive sensitization campaign geared towards encouraging pregnant women to register with the NHIS to ensure safe delivery.

She pointed out that poverty was depriving most pregnant women of access to antenatal medical care, which, she said, was crucial to safe delivery and advocated for a special intervention to encourage pregnant women to register with the NHIS.

Mrs Buabin also advised Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) in rural areas to refer complicated cases to health facilities on time to save lives.