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Rural Midwife Angela Tsrakasu’s Unwavering Commitment to Maternal Healthcare

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Ms Angela taking records of a pregnant woman
Ms Angela taking records of a pregnant woman

With a passion for providing quality maternal healthcare in deprived communities, Angela Yayra Tsrakasu has become a trusted and beloved figure in the lives of countless women and families.

With over 16 years’ experience and a good understanding of community nursing, Angela has developed a unique approach to midwifery.

Her dedication, expertise and kindness have earned her the respect and admiration   of the community she serves.

Her journey into midwifery began as a community health nurse for five years before enrolling at Pantang Nursing and Midwifery Training School where she became a midwife after completion.

After completion, she said “I had the privilege of working in various communities with different ethnic groups, providing primary health care and supporting those in need, not only in my catchment area.

Speaking to The Spectator in Accra on Tuesday, Angela said her work as a midwife includes providing prenatal, intrapartum and postpartum care to women in the rural communities.

“I love working in these settings; it allows me to build strong relationships with women and families I care for,” she said beaming with smiles.

Currently, Angela is stationed at Avevi, a rural community in the Akatsi North District of the Volta region.

Describing the community as a remote rural area, which according to her is about an hour drive from the nearest town, she is most often challenged by the limited access to medical resources, poor road network, and limited access to portable water as well as poor network services.

Narrating an ordeal with the poor road network, Angela recounted a journey to attend to a pregnant woman, in one of the remote villages in her catchment area on a rainy day.

She said “the road was so slippery and I lost my footing. Thankfully, I was the one who fell, not the pregnant woman. That would have resulted in some complications.”

Thoughts of that incident, she said always come with mixed reactions and emotions.

She would ask herself “why me? My colleagues are in the cities are taking same salaries like me yet they don’t go through all these challenges. Why remain here and keep stressing myself?”

Then I would again ask myself, “what if the pregnant woman was in labour, would it have resulted in some complications, would she have survived?

She said at least I had a vaccine carrier to support her if anything had happened to her.

“But after weighing all these thoughts, I was happy, I was the one who fell. Though I felt a bit embarrassed, thankfully, there was no one around. It was only the motor rider and I. I got up and moved on to accomplish what I had set up to do,” she added.

 She mentioned that the incident was a humbling experience for her and always reminds her of the importance of adaptability and the joy in helping save a life.

Angela’s day begins early with a quick review of her day’s schedule, checks her bag to ensure all the necessary equipment and supplies, including her midwifery kit, fetal monitoring equipment, and emergency supplies were intact.

She then meets up with pregnant women scheduled for the day and also follows up on those who defaulted, visit those whose delivery dates were due, new mothers, and their families.

She also provides prenatal care, conduct check-ups, and offer health education on topics like nutrition, hygiene, and childbirth preparation.

“These visits allow me to assess their health and well-being in the comfort of their own homes,” Angela said.

“As a midwife, I am always on call for emergencies and births. I may receive a call to attend a birth, provide emergency care for a complication, or transport a patient to a higher-level facility,” she said.

After a long day, I take some time to debrief and reflect on my experiences. I update my records, document any challenges or successes, and plan for the next day.

According Angela, with the help of family and friends and the power of social media, she has been able to support nursing mothers and some vulnerable individuals within and outside her catchment area.

She said so far she and her friends and family members have been able to donate school bags, exercise books, shoes, uniforms, food stuff, detergents, sanitary pads, clothing and other essentials to the less privileged in several communities.

 Angela says her motivation stems from the desire to support women and families and see the joy on the faces of downtrodden and the many ‘God bless you, thank you’ she receives on daily basis.

“They mean so much to me; they give me an inner satisfaction and peace,” she stated.

Midwifery, she said is a powerful tool for her to connect with other midwives, share knowledge and resources, call for help as well as advocate maternal and child health in rural communities.

She urged young people desirous of becoming nurses to know that nursing is not just a job, but a calling to serve others and have a positive impact on the world, adding that the profession was a challenging but rewarding one which requires compassion, empathy and dedication.

Angela has so far been posted to three facilities with at least 15 communities under each facility and she enjoys reading and watching documentaries at her spare time.

By Jemima Esinam Kuatsinu

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 Heritage Month Ghana trends

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Since the institution of the Heri­tage Month celebration in Ghana, it has offered citizens opportuni­ties of a lifetime to learn about their cultures and lifestyles.

Ghana’s version is observed in the month of March, coinciding with the country’s Independence Day celebra­tions on March 6.

Heritage Month features festivals, food fairs, arts, crafts, and music events to highlight the economic and social value of preserving national heritage.

Though a brainchild of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), the celebra­tion has been driven to greater heights by local media with the organisation of several events to create the needed euphoria.

Among the events are the Heritage Caravan and Back To Your Village Food Bazaar pow­ered by Accra-based Citi FM and Citi TV, Wear Ghana Festival and the Gɔbɛ festival powered by 3News.

The Heritage Caravan is a road trip which takes patrons across more than half of Ghana’s regions to offer a distinctive road trip that allows participants to explore the various re­gions of Ghana, providing an up-close encounter with the country’s histori­cal and cultural heritage.

In addition to these roles played by the media, news anchors and other presenters appear on screens immac­ulately garbed in locally made outfits, bringing out the beauty of our tradi­tions.

Today, The Spectator news­paper selected a few of the media personalities that are working to give the cel­ebration a global dimension to project the country.  

 By Andrew Nortey

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 MoMo vendor 24 murdered at Kwadaso

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• Mobile money shop
• Mobile money shop

 A disturbing crime has shaken the Kwadaso Onion market communi­ty in Kumasi, leaving family and friends grieving the loss of a young life.

Identified only as Junior, a 24-year-old mobile money vendor, was found murdered in his room on Saturday, March 8, 2025.

According to eyewitnesses, Junior had returned home the previous day with a substantial amount of money, over Gh¢20,000.

It was suspected that the killers might have been motivated by the large sum of money in Junior’s posses­sion.

A police source that confirmed this to The Spectator, said investigation has been launched into Junior’s mur­der, but so far, no arrests have been made.

The Kwadaso community is reeling in shock, calling for justice and an end to the atrocity that has claimed the life of a young and promising individ­ual.

Junior, is believed to be a native of Ejisu Onwe, and was known to his col­leagues and friends as a hardworking and diligent individual who worked at the Kumasi Race Course.

His tragic death serves as a stark reminder of the risks and challenges mobile money vendors faced.

The incident comes barely a month after Patricia Nimako, a 27-year-old Mobile Money (MoMo) vendor, was shot and killed at Krofrom, Kumasi in the Ashanti region by an unknown assail­ants.

The suspected armed robbers fled with the deceased cell phones and an amount of GH¢10,000 on Thursday, February 13, at approximately 3:00 p.m.

The two armed robbers reportedly stormed the kiosk where the deceased was operating and without any provo­cation shot her dead.

There has not been any arrest yet by the police.

 From Kingsley E. Hope , Kumasi

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 Learn how to prepare local dishes…Queen mothers urge young women

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• Some local dishes

 In a heartwarming display of inter­generational wisdom, queen moth­ers from local communities in the Obuasi enclave shared their expertise on how to prepare local diets with young ladies on the International Women’s Day event, courtesy of An­gloGold Ashanti, Obuasi Mine.

Beyond the fanfare, these revered women leaders took centre stage to impart a vital life skill: traditional cooking as they guided eager students and other young ladies through the art of preparing local delicacies.

In fact, the aroma of ‘Abunabunu’, ‘Aprapransa’, ‘Enuhu’, ‘Akaw’, ‘Tuo Zafi’ (TZ), among others, wafted through the air to the extent it could attract people from a distance, as the queen mothers entertained the young women with tales of resilience, entrepreneurship, and community building.

This year’s International Wom­en’s Day Celebration was under the theme: ‘Accelerate Action for Wom­en’s Equity.’

As the event drew to a close, the queen mothers gave words of wisdom upon their young guests.

From Nana Amoanima Dede, Queen mother of Adansi she stated that: “Never forget your roots, and always remember that the kitchen is not just a place for cooking, but for building connections and forging communi­ties.”

Nana Akua Dwum II, Queen moth­er of Edubiase, on her part urged the young ladies to learn how to prepare traditional dishes in order to preserve cultural heritage of the nation.

Earlier, the Managing Director of the mining company, Samuel Boakye Pobee, mentioned their readiness to roll out an “All-Women Apprentice­ship Programme, aimed at empow­ering young women in the Obuasi communities in entrepreneurship.”

He said the project would include women in basic technical skills and their capacity building to boost their employability to reshape perceptions of women’s roles in traditionally male-dominated industries.

According to the Managing Director, the mining company’s commitment “is to empower young people with specialised skills, and progressive knowledge to make them financially independent.”

The company, he indicated, was accelerating action towards wom­en’s equality at the Obuasi Mine and within host communities with the aim to build a foundation to create an inclusive and supportive business culture.

Mr Pobee expressed the need for innovative approaches and dedicated efforts to encourage and invest in women’s participation in all fields, including all levels of technical and operational areas and must be inten­tional and deliberate.”

 From Kingsley E. Hope, Obuasi

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