The Telecel Ghana Foundation has conducted free antenatal outreach under its Rural Ultrasound Scan initiative at the Naaha Health Centre in the Wa West District of the Upper West Region.
Maternal health professionals performed ultrasound scans and provided prenatal education and specialist consultations to 134 expectant mothers from the host community and surrounding areas including Ga, Kulmasa, Tanina, Kunfabiala and Dadafuri, among others.
Organised in collaboration with DMAC Foundation, the Rural Ultrasound initiative aims to improve access to essential maternal healthcare services in rural communities where diagnostic facilities are limited. Expectant mothers receive early pregnancy assessments, childbirth guidance and health referrals, where necessary, to support safe and healthy pregnancies.
Speaking on the impact of the initiative, Sahaji Swaidin, public health nurse in charge of the Naaha sub-district, highlighted the urgent need for such interventions in the community.
“This initiative came at a very vital time. We are in dire need of antenatal support for our pregnant women. Most women in the Naaha community must travel long distances to Wa and other areas to access maternal care. We are grateful to Telecel Foundation and DMAC Foundation for bringing this support closer to our women,” Mr. Swaidin said.
Majid Wasiwa, a pregnant resident from a far-flung community in Wa East, travelled over 130 kilometres to Naaha to benefit from the initiative. “I am very happy to get the opportunity to be scanned. I came from Yaro, which is quite far from Naaha just to access this service.”
Rita Agyeiwaa Rockson, Head of Foundation, Sustainability and External Communications at Telecel Ghana, noted that the initiative forms part of the Foundation’s Connected Health pillar and aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 3.1, which focuses on reducing global maternal mortality ratio. The global aim is to reduce the maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births by 2030.
“This initiative is about ensuring that no expectant mother is left behind due to distance or cost. By bringing ultrasound services directly to communities, we are enabling early detection of pregnancy related illnesses, improving maternal health outcomes, and supporting safer pregnancies,” she said.
Through its Rural Ultrasound Scan initiative, Telecel Foundation is driving meaningful impact in maternal health, ensuring that distance is no longer a barrier to timely diagnosis, proper care and safer pregnancies.
The Rural Ultrasound initiative is a life-saving programme for expecting mothers in underserved communities, as it helps to bridge the healthcare access gap and alleviate the financial burden of maternal healthcare on women.
