In January 2022, the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) in collaboration with the Ghana Health Service implemented an Emergency Obstetrics and Newborn Care (EmONC) project and developed an Acute Care Emergency Response System (ACERS) in Nkwanta South Municipality. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded the project.
The project is to address three thematic problem areas in Nkwanta South municipality. The areas are delays in deciding to seek healthcare during distress, delays in accessing the appropriate facility and delays in receiving the proper healthcare by expectant mothers and newborns in rural areas.
In this regard, the CRS has engaged the National Ambulance Service (NAS) of Ghana under the ACERS project to undertake various interventions to strengthen the emergency referral and dispatch coordination system to reduce maternal and perinatal mortality.
According to AEMT Derrick Wortey Koranteng, the head of the dispatch of the Nkwanta ambulance dispatch centre, the ACERS project was started by training community facilitators whose responsibility is to sensitize expectant mothers on the importance of attending antenatal and personal hygiene. The National Health Insurance, as part of the ACERS project, went into the various communities in the municipality to register expectant mothers onto the National Health Insurance Scheme.
“In every region, as National Ambulance Service, there is only one dispatch centre. However, a second dispatch centre for the Oti region was established as part of the ACERS project.” AEMT Koranteng stressed.
He also indicated eight modified motor-tricycle (MMA) for transporting expectant mothers from the community to health facilities procured by the National Ambulance Service.
Story by MIS Team – Emmanuel Sappor and Daniel Ahiatrogah