**
In a poignant and harrowing tale, 29-year-old Dorcas Azongo’s experience of giving birth in one of Ghana’s most impoverished regions sheds light on the dire need for improved maternal healthcare. Her attempt to deliver twins amidst inadequate facilities and dangerous conditions underscores a crisis that impacts countless women globally, leaving many to confront life-threatening challenges without the essential support they deserve.
A Journey of Desperation
Dorcas’s ordeal began in Beo-Tankoo, located in Bongo, a district notorious for its lack of healthcare resources. Facing the heart-wrenching choice of either giving birth alone at home or embarking on a perilous journey to seek medical care, Dorcas chose the latter—an option fraught with danger and uncertainty.
With no maternity ward or trained midwives available in her community, she was forced to navigate flooded rivers while in active labour. The urgency was palpable. After a treacherous canoe ride, she arrived at a clinic only to be turned away due to the inability to handle a twin delivery. As pain wracked her body, Dorcas made the decision to return across the river, where her husband awaited on a borrowed motorbike. Together, they continued their journey to Bongo Hospital, but time was not on their side. The twins could not wait; Dorcas delivered them in the yard of the hospital, just before receiving the care she desperately needed.
The Aftermath of Trauma
Reflecting on her experience nearly a year later, Dorcas expressed her ongoing worries about the health of her twins. “The twins are unwell almost all the time,” she revealed, her voice trembling with emotion. “If I bring them for treatment, it’s not even a whole month before they have a temperature again.” Her words resonate deeply, revealing the toll that inadequate healthcare takes on families, particularly in regions like Bongo, which suffers from some of the lowest access rates to water, sanitation, and hygiene in Ghana.
The trauma of her birthing experience lingers in her memory. For Dorcas, the nightmare of childbirth without proper facilities has left an indelible mark, leading her to decide against having more children under such hazardous circumstances.
The Call for Change
Dorcas’s harrowing story is not an isolated incident; it reflects a broader crisis faced by many women in similar regions. Each day, mothers around the world confront the terrifying reality of childbirth without access to clean water and adequate medical facilities. According to estimates, a woman gives birth without proper sanitation every two seconds, a statistic that is both shocking and unacceptable.
In her journey to raise awareness, Dorcas hopes her experiences will spark meaningful change. WaterAid’s ‘Time to Deliver’ campaign is a crucial initiative that aims to ensure every healthcare facility is equipped with the necessary water, sanitation, and hygiene services, particularly as the UN water conference approaches. Dorcas’s resilience and willingness to share her story can inspire action and advocate for the rights of mothers everywhere.
Why it Matters
Dorcas Azongo’s experience is a powerful reminder of the urgent need for improved maternal healthcare services across the globe. Inadequate access to basic facilities not only jeopardises the lives of mothers and infants but also perpetuates cycles of poverty and ill health. By amplifying stories like Dorcas’s, we can shed light on the urgent necessity for systemic changes in maternal care, enabling every woman to give birth safely, with dignity, and with the access to clean water and proper medical support that they rightfully deserve.
