A/R: tafo hospital records high rate of newborn jaundice, paediatricians bemoan, call on gov’t over lack of logistics and equipment

Tafo gov’t hospital: new born jaundice on a high rate, Paediatricians lament over lack of incubator, phototherapy machine.

newborn jaundice is a disease that normally occurred when the colour of the skin and eyes of the baby began to look yellowish within the first 28 days of birth.

germs in the body, blood group differences between mother and baby, camphor use in babies with a condition of the blood known as Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), dehydration from poor feeding, abnormal blood cell, bruising at birth and liver diseases are some of the common causes of newborn jaundice, the head of Paediatric at Tafo government hospital in the Ashanti Region, Dr Gloria Amponsah-Kodua has disclosed.

At the newborn jaundice awareness campaign month-May 2021 held at Tafo government hospital by the Paediatric Society of Ghana, Dr Gloria Amponsah-Kodua called on the Government and other stakeholders to enhance the capacities of Paediatricians and provide them with the necessary health equipment such as incubators, phototherapy machine, ward and pots.
to boost their healthcare service delivery.

The theme of the campaign dubbed: “Early initiation of breastfeeding keeps the yellow away,” sparked the attention of the crowd as the paediatric staffs hit the principal street of Old Tafo with a float.

Paediatrician Gloria Amponsah-Kodua advised parents to be more concerned about the health of their babies by monitoring their development to ensure they were free from diseases.

She urged them to visit the nearest health facility for assessment immediately they realised the baby is unwell.

The Deputy Director of nursing services
Joyce Eshun on her part said
the awareness of newborn jaundice should be improved, especially in rural areas, to save the lives of babies, adding that at least 10 cases are recorded in May whereas several were referred to Komfo Anokye due to lack of the above mentioned equipment.

She urged her colleague health workers to be baby-friendly and deepen the education on ensuring nursing mothers healthily breastfed their babies to accelerate growth.

To donate or support, please kindly call Dr Gloria Amponsah-Kodua on 055 762 5346.

story by Rexkin Ohene Boateng, hello fm Kumasi.