Inhabitants of the New Road neighbourhood in Bamenda III subdivision, North West region are still in shock, following the discovery of a corpse in their quarter.

On Wednesday January 17, the corpse of a young lady was identified in a nearby farm in the New Road neighborhood.

According to eyewitness reports, the lady who is yet to be identified is in her mid 20s. Inhabitants of the area say she might be a victim of last Sunday night shooting.

Upon notification, authorities of the Bamenda III council accompanied by security forces visited the scene for investigations and also to take the corpse out of the place.

Locals say on Sunday 14, breaking Monday, repeated gunshots were heard around the New Road neighbourhood, and a car was set ablazed. They told CNA that they were unable to determine those who were shooting.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

Dr. Derrick Darko, a Medical Officer at International Maritime Hospital (IMaH), has revealed that young expectant mothers often avoid going to hospitals for check-ups to avoid stares because of the societal stigma.?

While teenage pregnancies are socially stigmatised, there is less of a chance that a teenager would develop hypertension before or after becoming pregnant, the IMaH Medical Officer emphasised.

Dr. Darko said because most parents did not support teenage pregnancies, ‘teenagers who believe they cannot tell their parents that they are pregnant and who feel frightened and alone may be at risk of complications.’.

He added that because adolescents were less likely to visit the hospital for their routine prenatal examinations, it was crucial to assist them in receiving the antenatal care and emotional support they required to maintain their health during the most vulnerable stages of their lives.

Dr. Darko stated at the weekly ‘Your Health! Our Collective Responsibility,’ A Tema Ghana News Agency,’
initiative aimed at promoting communication on health-related topics and setting the medium for the propagation of health information to influence personal health choices by improving health literacy.

Speaking on the topic ‘Hypertension in Pregnancy,’ the IMaH Medical Officer also disclosed that women who were 35 years of age or older and were expecting their first child were also at risk for developing hypertension.?

According to Dr. Darko, high blood pressure had become more widespread, but with proper blood pressure management, a woman and her unborn child had a higher chance of remaining healthy.

Dr Darko also stated that if a pregnant woman’s body experienced a surge in hormones under extremely stressful circumstances, this could cause the heart to beat more quickly and narrow the blood vessels, which could even result in a heart attack.

To prevent the accumulation of stress in pregnant women and its consequences, he, therefore, made an appeal to their friends and family to foster a sense of communit
y around them by providing the necessary support.

According to Dr. Darko, having high blood pressure during pregnancy increased the risk of having preterm infants who were typically underweight, pregnancy complications, heart attacks, and maternal and neonatal mortality.

Source: Ghana News Agency