The Upper East Regional Directorate of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) has reported that the region recorded 40 maternal deaths in 2024.
In 2021, the region recorded 43 maternal deaths, 27 in 2022, and 33 in 2023, according to Dr. Samuel Kwabena Boakye-Boateng, the Regional Director of the GHS. He disclosed this at the opening ceremony of the 2024 annual performance review meeting of the Service in Bolgatanga.
The two-day event was themed: “Using Network of Practice (NoP) to Drive Universal Access to Quality Maternal Health Care.” It was chaired by Reverend Eastwood Anaba, the President of the Eastwood Anaba Ministries, and brought together directors of the GHS from the national to the district level, senior managers, development partners, traditional rulers, the media, and other stakeholders.
Dr. Boakye-Boateng expressed concern about the trend of maternal deaths, describing it as disturbing that the Institutional Maternal Mortality Ratio had risen from 77 per 100,000 live births to 97 per 100,000 live births despite ongoing efforts to improve maternal health care.
“Closely linked to this indicator is the incidence of anaemia in pregnant women at 36 weeks of gestation, which saw stagnation from 44.4 percent to 43.4 percent against the target of 35.5 percent,” Dr. Boakye-Boateng noted.
He emphasized that it was unacceptable to lose a life while bringing another into the world. “We are saddened and pained by the increase in the number of maternal deaths within the period under review,” he added.
Dr. Boakye-Boateng reiterated that the region’s goal of “Zero Tolerance for Maternal Deaths” could only be achieved through effective collaboration among all stakeholders to address the community and health facility factors that continue to hinder efforts to eliminate preventable maternal deaths.
“For this reason, the region is fully leveraging the opportunities and strengths of deliberately connecting health facilities into networks of practice. This will help halt and reverse the trend in maternal deaths and improve other key performance indicators in the months and years ahead,” he stated.
He explained that the focus on maternal health was crucial because the health and well-being of both mothers and children must be prioritized, adding that maternal health is essential for a healthy future population.
Donatus Atanga, the Regional Minister, in a speech read on his behalf, acknowledged maternal health as the foundation of the national health agenda and a critical aspect of the collective vision for a healthier and more equitable society.
As a network of health professionals dedicated to saving lives and improving maternal health outcomes, the Minister emphasized that their commitment must go beyond individual efforts to collective action.
“Universal access to quality maternal health will only be guaranteed if every pregnant woman, regardless of location or socioeconomic status, can receive timely and high-standard medical attention,” the Minister stated.
Atanga noted that the government had made significant progress in primary healthcare towards attaining Universal Health Coverage and would continue to build on this progress to address challenges in the health sector.