Why I will keep fighting for free health care

I know that having children is a natural, wonderful thing for a woman, but walking into small space where there are 100 pregnant women is still enough to put me a little out of my comfort zone!

In July 2008, the Ghanaian government decided to make healthcare free for all pregnant women. One year on, I wanted to talk to nurses, midwives and pregnant women about what changes they had seen in the service and the number of pregnant women coming to hospital for care. So last week I went to, the government-run Achimota Hospital, in Accra, to find out the real story on free maternal care.

The first thing that struck me was the sheer number of women. The maternal health ward didn't just look busy – it really was busy! Between 8am and 2pm that day, 296 pregnant had check-ups, consultations or screenings for HIV by eight nurses. That's almost one pregnant woman a minute.

The second thing that struck me was how happy everyone was to take 5 minutes to talk about free healthcare.

Janet, a first-time mother who lives in Legon, a nearby suburb in Accra, told me:  "When I first found out I was pregnant, I was told I should register at a private hospital, but that cost at least 20 cedis ($14.00). And that was just to register! This is too expensive for me."

Cost, I found out, was a big thing. Irene is a second-time mother. Her first child is a 2 year-old boy, and was born before the free healthcare policy was introduced. It cost her 50 cedis for her to give birth to her first child, which was over half of her monthly earnings. "Some of us have financial problems, and it is so much harder.  Free healthcare will save the poor and those who are in need. Because they don't have to pay, women can stay in hospital even for a week after they give birth if they need to!"

However the story that, for me, captured the real impact of free healthcare is Jeniffer's story. She was sitting on the bench, 8 months pregnant, waiting to be seen by a nurse. She was pregnant with her third child, but it was the first time she was planning to give birth in the hospital. She gave birth to her first two children at home, not having had a check-up by a nurse, and not attended by a midwife. It is only because healthcare for pregnant women is now free that she decided to go to the hospital.

"I wasn't afraid during my first two deliveries but having nurses, midwives, and medicines for free is very good. I worry about having no money. I will buy food, I will pay for my daughter to go to school, and after this there is no money left. If my daughter gets sick, I cannot afford to pay for her to come here. My healthcare is free but now I am worried for my children." It brought home to me that a mother never stops thinking about her children, regardless of what benefits she might be getting herself.

Clearly, free healthcare for women is doing great things in Ghana – especially for poor women. There are, of course, things that need improving. Whilst the number of women has doubled, the number of staff and the facilities haven't. Achimota Hospital nurses are hoping that their new maternity ward, due to be ready next year, will help improve the quality of care for expecting mothers.

For me, the experience has been emotional and inspiring. It reminds me why I do my job, and why I fight for better healthcare for the poorest people. Free healthcare can do so much good. It is something we need to get donor governments to support. It is something we need to get more developing countries to start doing.

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