Maternal mortality remains a pressing issue in Ghana, with recent data from the Ghana Health Service (GHS) revealing alarming statistics. Between 2021 and 2023, a total of 2,541 women lost their lives due to maternal complications, with Obstetric Hemorrhage (OH) and Gestational Hypertension identified as the leading causes.
Dr. Abraham Frimpong Baidoo, the Program Manager of the Safe Motherhood Program at GHS, highlighted that OH, characterized by excessive bleeding related to pregnancy, emerged as the primary cause of maternal deaths. Additionally, gestational hypertension, a condition characterized by high blood pressure during pregnancy, was identified as the second leading cause of maternal mortality in Ghana.
Despite ongoing efforts to improve maternal health in the country, challenges persist. Dr. Baidoo emphasized the significance of timely and adequate healthcare access for pregnant women, emphasizing the need for early antenatal visits. Shockingly, GHS data indicated that only 50% of antenatal registrants made the recommended eight visits, with some women not seeking care until their third trimester.
The low rate of hospital deliveries and antenatal visits, coupled with delayed healthcare initiation, underscores the urgent need for proactive maternal health initiatives. GHS has intensified efforts to enhance preventive and promotive maternal health care, focusing on training health workers and strengthening community-level interventions.
As Ghana strives to meet the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of reducing maternal mortality rates by 2030, concerted efforts are required to address the underlying factors contributing to maternal deaths.
By prioritizing early and regular antenatal care, promoting institutional deliveries, and improving maternal health education, Ghana can progress towards achieving SDG three’s ambitious targets.
