Kumasi-Ghana, April 13, GNA – The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has donated midwifery training tools and equipment to the Nursing Department of Midwifery, at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).
The items worth $30,000, is part of the Funds’ efforts at contributing to the effective and efficient training of midwifes to acquire the needed skills that will help reduce maternal deaths in the country.
Among the items were dilation curettage instruments, tenaculum uterine forceps, delivery trolley, uterine sound, suction machines, adult, and baby weighing scales, birth stimulators, digital thermometers, cervical cerclage models, sims viginal speculum, uterine dilators, and stainless-steel dressing drums.
Others were surgical scissors, examination screens, sphygmomanometer, green army forceps, penguin newborn suctions, mobile examination lamps, hot water bottles and drip stands.
Dr Emmily Naphambo, Deputy UNFPA Country Representative, speaking to the media after handing over the items, said the organization had been working with the KNUST for more than 10 years in the discharge of quality education.
The UNFPA supported the school together with the government and other stakeholders to come up with the first curriculum for the degree programme in midwifery.
Since then, the collaboration has grown stronger and instituted the donation of equipment including a skills laboratory and training faculty staff in delivering best practical and theoretical knowledge to students.
“This donation comes in the context of UNFPA’s support.
Midwifery has been our core pillar; we are making sure we contribute meaningfully to eliminating maternal deaths.
Ghana is making strides, there are still alarming levels of maternal deaths of about 320 deaths per 100,000, that is still too much, and we must support the advancement of midwifery studies”, she explained.
This donation, she said would go a long way as the KNUST was training staff and skilled personnel to be attending to pregnant women.
“Though the support is for the school, the beneficiaries of the materials provided will go far beyond and contribute to the well-being of women in Ghana, to the health sector and also development goals for the country.”
Dr Naphambo pledged that the UN agency that specialized in reproductive health would continue to give the needed support to institutions to help reduce maternal mortality.
Dr Daniel Norris Bekoe, the University Relations Officer, KNUST, who received the items, said they would supplement the skills and training of the students for Ghana and sub-Saharan region and commended the UNFPA for the assistance.
He said the working relationship that existed between the University and the UNFPA would continue, adding that, the two institutions were working on curriculum development for Master’s and Doctor of Philosophy Programmes in midwifery.
Dr. Bekoe urged other donors to resource the KNUST to acquire state-of-the-art skills laboratories for the training of health personnel.
These skills laboratories, according to him, must essentially be stocked with equipment to help hands-on training before students go out to various health facilities for attachments.
