Sonko’s transformation of Pumwani should not be taken for granted

The recent unfortunate incident where a mother in labor pains was helplessly left to deliver outside the Pumwani Maternity Hospital should not make us forget the positive changes governor Mike Sonko managed to make at the facility in his first two years in office.

Those who are familiar with the facility and have consistently visited it from the last ten years will admit that indeed it’s a facility that has undergone massive upgrade activities in the recent years.

First of all, the facility was early last year kitted with multi-purpose machines to improve maternal care.

The machines, which were installed, include 10 warmers and resuscitators for the newborns. The machines are being used to offer respiratory support to newborns with breathing problems.

It is worth noting that  80-100 babies are delivered at Pumwani Maternity Hospital every day, with a number of them having complications at birth.However,it is estimated that the delivery rate has improved in the last one year due to installation of these machines and deployment of more personnel.

The machines also provide phototherapy for jaundice, a condition of yellowness on the bodies of some new babies.

Another key achievement that Sonko promised and delivered is the opening of a new outpatient wing at the facility.

For the last 93 years, the hospital has not been offering outpatient services and has specialized in inpatient only.

 Sonko had also mapped out plans to construct a 10 storey 450 capacity bed unit that will be named after him.

“The influx we are experiencing in our hospitals is because of the good services we are offering. We will continue giving quality services to our people,” Sonko said in a statement last year.

Evidently, Pumwani Maternity has had a major transformation since September last year after the discovery of 12 dead infants in bags at the facility.

A fully equipped cold room, a new oxygen plant, a modern surgical unit for deliveries and extra delivery wards have been installed. A breast milk bank was also opened at the largest maternity hospital in the country.