Bamenda Regional Hospital: Maternity Unit Solicits Protection Of Nursing Mothers, Babies From Stray Bullets

By Martial Gnoukapasir

Refurbished Post Natal Ward

The maternity unit chief of the Bamenda regional hospital has pleaded with the management board of the hospital and the North West delegate of  public health to re-inforce security within the maternity unit by erecting a concrete wall that will shield it from stray bullets.

Dr Dobgima Pisoh made the plea Tuesday July 28th during the inauguration of the refurbished Post Natal Ward and Infant Welfare Clinic of the hospital, by north west public health delegate Dr Kingsley Che Soh.

"The maternity unit is the eye of every hospital for it is where life begins. The place where women experience the greatest joy in their life. We'll like to plead with our delegate to protect these women from gunshots. Of recent we had stray bullets that cross our wall. It will be good to erect another wall of stone to protect them"  he said.

Maternity Unit Head Dobgima Pisoh

The post natal ward and infant welfare clinic both received a fresh coat of paint, 41 new beds to add to the existing 36 at the post natal ward, coupled with new mattresses, some fittings here and there in the labour room etc.

While appreciating the hospital authorities for the renovation works, the gynecologist also pleaded for them to construct shades to provide shelter to the women outside the unit as well as more materials that could facilitate safe delivery.

Midwives and Nurses lined up at Inaugural

"Our unit now shines. The surface is very beautiful but we need to do something about the materials. We need to think about theater and other materials, to permit us monitor the women from when they get into the theater to when they put to birth so as to reduce maternal mortality"

He however said the new beds will enable them to cater for more women, observe them for as long as 48hrs after delivery before sending them home, as oppose to the 24hrs observation period that obtained earlier due to insufficient space for the nursing mothers and their babies.

New beds. Public health delegate, health stakeholders touring the renovated unit

He seized the opportunity to call on the nurses and midwives to be welcoming, duty conscious and less corrupt in handling the many emmergency gynecological cases in the unit.

Speaking earlier the director of the hospital Dr Denis Nsame said due to insecurity and the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of delivery in the hospital per month has dropped from 300 babies to a fluctuating 200 - 250.

Regional Hospital director Denis Nsame facing the press

The importance and welfare of mother and child health he said, cannot be overemphasized upon. Reason why he thank the management board of the hospital for their hard work and dynamism in permitting for such projects to be executed with funds generated from the hospital, like was the case with the Neonatal section that also underwent refurbishment months back.

"With the two new ambulance services pregnant women can be ferried to the hospital at anytime for delivery" Dr Nsame added.

NW public health delegate cutting the ribbon

According to the north west delegate of public health Dr Kingsley Che Soh, the renovated maternity which has been existing for 40 years, needed a face-lift that will offer the much needed comfort to women who've gone through the painful phase of delivery.

He enjoined the staff to maintain cleanliness of the structure and get their users more disciplined.

Though he didn't say anything on the plea made by the unit head on erecting a second wall to protect the women, he acknowledged that the Covid-19 pandemic has tinted the image of the hospital leading to low turnout in patient.

A problem he intend to address via the communition unit of his delegation, he added.

Group picture of public health delegate, director, management board and staff

He cautioned for the staffs to stay off politics and work in alliance with the oath they took to put the lives of their patients first.

The regional hospital in Bamenda counts over 500 staffs while the maternity unit alone has 3 gynecologists, 22 midwives, 14 nurses, 9 assistant nurses and 4 wardens as at now.

Picture presentation of event below.