Women Assisting Women in a Village in Ghana: The Role of Traditional Birth Attendants in Wurubegu-Anansu

This article examines the impact of traditional birth attendants (TBAs) in rural areas of Ghana and Wurubegu-Anansu community in particular. It examines the challenges that TBAs face as well as the reasons why pregnant women in the community find it difficult to attend antenatal check-ups at modern health centres or hospitals. The narratives bring to the fore the kind of advice that TBAs give to women who go to them for antenatal care as well as delivery care. The absence of a clinic within the Wurubegu-Anansu community was identified as one of the many reasons for pregnant women resorting to TBAs for assistance when their time is due for delivery. The findings suggest that TBAs in the study area do not practise on a full time basis because of the meagre income they receive after assisting women in delivery. TBAs therefore engage in different economic activities to support their families. Most of them engage in farming activities or in petty trading and only attend to women when the need arises. If the government of Ghana is unable to provide health facilities in all rural communities in the country, it should adopt the reformist approach through the auspices of the ministry of health. Thus, it should continuously equip and empower TBAs with medical training and delivery tools to enable them to carry out safe and efficient deliveries rather than encourage any policy or action that will hinder their activities.