Telecel Ghana Foundation has extended its maternal health programme, the Rural Ultrasound Initiative, to Kubori, a hard-to-reach community in the North East Region. The initiative provided vital healthcare screenings for pregnant women, offering ultrasound scans and haemoglobin (HB) checks for 169 expectant mothers, making it one of the largest rural screenings conducted under the programme this year.
The screening exercise attracted pregnant women from Kubori and surrounding communities, including Kpatarigu, Fagbong, Yag-Namoo, Wirangu, Kilaayiri, Ezesi, Sagua, Mankarigu, Gombongu, Soo, and Yirangu. Many of these women rarely have access to diagnostic services due to distance, high costs, and transportation challenges to equipped health centres.
The Rural Ultrasound Screening, organised by Telecel Ghana Foundation in partnership with Divine Mother and Child (DMAC) Foundation and the Ghana Health Service, aims to ensure timely detection of complications and appropriate medical guidance throughout pregnancy for women in underserved communities.
Ralina Abu, a beneficiary, shared her experience after undergoing her first ultrasound and receiving the Foundation's care package, noting that the outreach eased her financial burden and transformed her pregnancy experience. "The midwives shared information about my unborn baby's health, giving me relief and confidence about my pregnancy. Thank you to Telecel Ghana Foundation for the care," she said.
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During the screening, two expectant mothers were diagnosed with intrauterine fetal death, and one with an ovarian cyst. Early detection of these conditions was referred to local health workers to prevent further complications.
Salifu Rashida, a midwife at Kubori Polyclinic, emphasized the challenges rural women face in accessing ultrasound services due to long distances and costs, noting that the free outreach by Telecel Ghana Foundation was essential for early detection and reassurance.
Founder of DMAC Foundation, Edmund Doudu, highlighted the difficulty of reaching Kubori by road, arriving covered in red dust after hours-long travel through dusty roads and humid weather. "Kubori was one of the hardest and most remote places we have visited in the past 11 years. Reaching these women and providing essential maternal care was both important and deeply impactful," he said.
Rita Agyeiwaa Rockson, Head of Foundation, Sustainability and External Communications at Telecel Ghana, reiterated the Foundation's commitment to equitable healthcare, stating, "No woman should lack access to a simple ultrasound scan that could save her life and protect her unborn child."
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