The quick response of health workers at the Asunafo South District Hospital saved the life of a newborn with life-threatening breathing difficulties, referred from a maternity home in Nobeko near Kukuom amid a severe shortage of medical resources.
The baby’s condition was critical immediately after delivery, with irregular breathing requiring urgent resuscitation.
Staff at the Asunafo South District Hospital, though limited in equipment, administered antibiotics, oxygen, suction, and manual ventilation to stabilize the infant.
“The condition was critical, so we had no choice but to refer both mother and child,” said a nurse involved in the emergency. She noted that the Asunafo South District ambulance had been out of service for nearly five months.
Attempts to secure backup support from nearby facilities in Goaso, Hwidiem, and Mim proved unsuccessful, as none had oxygen available. Even the Bibiani Hospital in the Western North Region, which is relatively close, reported a lack of oxygen supplies.
Faced with the urgent need to save the baby, the hospital staff improvised by using a private taxi for transport.
A medical officer held a large oxygen cylinder in the taxi, assisted by a colleague in the boot, while the nurse continuously monitored the baby’s condition until reaching the referral centre.
“This ordeal shows our dedication to saving lives, even under extremely difficult conditions. But the lack of essential medical supplies and functioning ambulances makes our work unnecessarily challenging,” the nurse added.
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