Peki Government Hospital Launches ‘Pregnancy School’

Peki Government Hospital in the South Dayi District of the Volta Region has launched a pregnancy school to improve communication on pregnancy and care for newborns.

The school, which is a programme of the Ministry of Health, was established nine months ago.

It is a structured non-formal class organised for pregnant women, their spouses, families and other interested individuals.

Speaking at the launch of the school, Acting Medical Superintendent of the Hospital, Dr Alphonse Makafui Dzakpasu, said the main objective of the school is to equip pregnant women with the requisite knowledge on pregnancy, pregnancy care and delivery and to educate them on issues relating to the various changes associated with the first, second and the third trimesters of pregnancy.

Dr Dzakpasu further added that the school is also to aid in reducing morbidity and mortality associated with childbirth to its barest minimum.

According to him, the school has so far yielded a lot of positive results such as helping women to know how to use chlorhexidine to treat a baby’s umbilical cord.

He stressed that cord care was very important in the prevention of neonatal sepsis.

Dr Dzakpasu noted that even though the school is focusing on pregnant women in ensuring that they adhere to the basic principles that govern them and the baby in their womb, it does not replace the focal antenatal services.

He, therefore, urged the expectant mothers to endeavour to go for antenatal regularly.

He noted that the school is not to encourage teenage pregnancies and therefore admonished teenagers to avoid sexual immorality and focus on their books.

The launch event was also used to graduate 25 pregnant women who have successfully completed their studies.

Some graduates who spoke to Joy News described the school as very helpful and urged their colleague pregnant women at home who have not enrolled in the school to do so.

Source: Myjoyonline