The number of maternal deaths increased from 0/100000 live births (zero maternal death) in 2023 to 40/100000 live births (1 maternal death). Also, the number of newborns dying within their first month decreased from 17 per 1,000 in 2023 to 12 per 1,000 in 2024, though the target was seven.

Institutional all cause of death rate in health facilities slightly increased to 18.7% in 2024, compared to 17.5% in 2023, which is just above the target of 18%. However, fewer newborns received postnatal care within 48 hours after birth, dropping to 94.4%, above the target of 90%.

The gaps mentioned in the annual performance report refer to challenges that affect the quality and accuracy of healthcare data, how funds are managed, and how evenly healthcare services are distributed across different communities.

District Health Authorities say the Agogo Presbyterian Hospital plays a key role in the area, serving as a referral center for eight districts and municipalities including Asante Akim South and Central, Sekyere East, Ejisu Municipal, Bosome Freho, Kumawu, Sekyere Afram Plains and some from the Eastern Region. This means that patients from these areas who need more specialised or advanced care are sent to Agogo.

As a result, the hospital often handles more severe and complex cases, which can contribute to the higher rates of maternal deaths, stillbirths, or other health issues reflected in the statistics. Essentially, the hospital sees cases that are already in critical condition or that are referred too late, which can make the statistics appear worse than they might be in other hospitals with less complex cases.

“Most cases are referred late and sometimes in terrible conditions,” Ronald Welaga Miah, municipal director of health services, said.

“The figures and rates say it all. Targets are not met. There have been improvements due to interventions, but unfortunately, we are still not meeting the target.”

Pregnant women at risk are urged to prioritise visiting hospitals with the necessary expertise to manage their specific conditions promptly. “We urge at-risk pregnant or expectant mothers to prioritise visiting hospitals with the expertise to manage their respective conditions and to do so promptly,” Mr Miah stated.

Municipal health authorities have pledged to improve maternal and child health services by implementing strategies to reduce stillbirths, such as enhanced antenatal care and emergency obstetric services. They also plan to strengthen neonatal care, increase the number of postnatal visits, and expand access to skilled delivery services, particularly in underserved areas.

He also stated that the directorate would focus on strengthening the distribution of healthcare workers and ensuring equitable services by deploying more physicians and nurses to areas with low population equity scores. The directorate plans to use incentives such as housing, training opportunities, and salary adjustments to attract healthcare workers to underserved areas.

Other strategies are to regularly hold family meetings with referral facilities and districts, particularly to discuss maternal and newborn death audits, review recommendations, and plan the way forward.

However, there are still challenges with a shortage of technical and support staff, including Physician Assistants, Nutrition Officers, Field Technicians, and Laboratory Technicians, among others.

Data from the directorate shows that in 2024, health facilities in the Greater Accra Region recorded 163 maternal deaths, a slight reduction from 170 deaths in 2023.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends that countries meet the 70 deaths per 100,000 live births target by 2030, as part of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target 3.1.

Speaking at the Greater Accra Regional Health Directorate Annual Performance Review meeting for 2024, Dr. Akosua Agyeiwaa Owusu-Sarpong, Greater Accra Regional Director of Health, attributed the high maternal mortality ratio of 167/100,000 live births to the directorate’s inability to fully capture skilled delivery data from all public health facilities and over 600 private health facilities in the region.

The meeting, held under the theme “Improving Performance and Health Outcomes through Service Delivery, Partnerships, and Excellence in Health Service Delivery,” brought together senior managers, programme managers, unit heads, metro and municipal health directors, and medical directors to assess their 2024 performance.

Dr. Owusu-Sarpong noted that ongoing safe motherhood and life-saving skills training, as well as quarterly zonal meetings supervised by obstetricians, gynaecologists, and paediatricians, must be sustained to reduce maternal and perinatal mortality.

For two days, health officials will review their progress, acknowledge successes, identify performance gaps, and develop strategies for improved service delivery.

Looking ahead to 2025, Dr. Owusu-Sarpong said the directorate would focus on strengthening partnerships, improving governance systems, and enhancing service quality and safety.

She acknowledged challenges in staff distribution but noted improvements, particularly in Ada East and Ada West, where postings had often been refused in the past.

“The Region’s aggregate score for the holistic assessment in 2024 was 4.07, compared to 3.93 in 2023, making the region a high-performing one,” she said.

Dr. Owusu-Sarpong also highlighted efforts to bring cholera under control through resilient surveillance and epidemic management systems.

Dr. Caroline Reindorf Amissah, Deputy Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), urged health workers to focus on strengthening service commitment amid challenges such as dwindling funds, a rising disease burden, workforce migration, and infrastructure deterioration.

Greater Accra Regional Minister, Madam Linda Ocloo, in a speech read on her behalf, encouraged health professionals to remain steadfast in improving healthcare delivery.

She emphasised the need for transparency, accountability, and excellence in health facilities, adding, “Strengthening reporting mechanisms, particularly in the private health sector, will ensure more accurate data capture and informed decision-making.”

Maternal mortality refers to deaths due to complications from pregnancy or childbirth.

The leading causes include severe bleeding (postpartum haemorrhage), infections (including sepsis), high blood pressure disorders (pre-eclampsia and eclampsia), complications from delivery, and unsafe abortions.

ALSO READ:

• Agogo Presbyterian Hospital records zero maternal mortality in 2023 with SafeCare interventions

• Central Region makes strides in reducing maternal mortality

• Samira Bawumia launches project to reduce maternal mortality

This was revealed at the National Ghana Health Service Research Conference organised by the Ghana Health Service (GHS) in partnership with Zipline.

The study, which focused on the impact of aerial logistics in healthcare, also noted a 19.9% increase in antenatal visits and a 25% rise in in-facility births, signaling a significant boost in maternal health outcomes.

The success according to the study is attributed to the on-demand availability of blood and essential medical supplies provided by Zipline’s innovative drone delivery system.

This consistent access to critical resources has increased patient confidence in the healthcare system, encouraging more mothers to seek necessary care throughout their pregnancies.

Speaking on the highlight of the study, the Research Officer at Ashanti Regional Health Directorate stated, “The significant decrease in maternal mortality we’ve seen is a clear indication of the vital role that reliable access to medical supplies plays in healthcare. The ability to deliver blood and essential medicines exactly when they’re needed has transformed how mothers in the Ashanti Region perceive and engage with the healthcare system.

It’s an achievement that speaks to the importance of introducing technology in healthcare delivery. Mothers now feel more confident in seeking care, knowing that they will receive the support they need throughout their pregnancies.”

The study examined data from 191 health facilities, including hospitals, health centers, and Community-based Health and Planning Services (CHPS) Compounds. Among these, 99 facilities were served by Zipline’s aerial logistics, while 91 were not.

The research employed adjusted rates for various key indicators, such as antenatal consultations, emergency visits, referrals, live births, hysterectomies, maternal deaths, and neonatal deaths, as the main dependent variables.

The qualitative aspect of the study aimed to describe and analyze the changes in satisfaction levels among healthcare providers and patients, perceived quality of care in maternal health and emergencies, and experiences related to the use of aerial logistics. In-depth interviews were conducted with 22 patients and 23 healthcare providers at the participating facilities.

Globally, maternal mortality remains a critical public health challenge, with stark disparities between high-income and low-to-middle-income countries (LMICs).

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the majority of maternal deaths occur in LMICs, often due to preventable causes. In Ghana, particularly in the Ashanti Region, the problem is critical, reflecting the broader challenges faced across the African continent.

Beyond this, socio-economic, geographic, and infrastructural factors intensify the risks associated with pregnancy and childbirth, highlighting the urgent need for innovative solutions to improve maternal health outcomes.

As maternal mortality continues to pose a challenge in low-to-middle-income countries, the success seen in Ghana’s Ashanti Region offers a promising model for other regions and nations striving to improve maternal health outcomes through innovative solutions.

Zipline is poised to continue leading the way in revolutionising healthcare delivery, ensuring that every mother has access to the life-saving resources, no matter where she lives.

Source: Zipline

READ ALSO:

• Organised Labour threatens nationwide strike over galamsey crisis
• Nkwanta South MCE hands over 717 desks to GES
• West Central Africa Division of Health Ministries invest GH₵ 500K to Combat heart disease

This milestone is the result of the hospital’s dedicated implementation of SafeCare quality improvement methodologies, alongside strategic interventions aimed at enhancing maternal care.

With over 2,000 mothers experiencing safe childbirth at the hospital during the year under review, this achievement not only reflects the hospital’s commitment to excellence in healthcare but also underscores the pivotal role of SafeCare interventions in transforming maternal health outcomes.

Speaking at a ceremony to commemorate the achievement, the General Manager, of the Agogo Presby Hospital, Rev Ezekiel Amadu Daribi, lauded the significant role the internationally accredited SafeCare quality improvement protocols has made toward the achievement.

“We are proud of what we have been able to achieve today because the Presbyterian Hospital Agogo is 93-years-old today and we are celebrating such a great milestone in health delivery. This journey has been by the grace of God and the deliberate interventions we have put in place as managers of the facility.”

Reverend Ezekiel Amadu Daribi explained that, the maternal health audit team and management of the hospital mapped out a strategy that has increased the response time for facilities in the peripheral communities to ensure that they refer cases to the Agogo hospital in time.

According to him, the contribution of PharmAccess’ SafeCare and Med4All programmes have enhanced the hospital’s ability to access quality medications and adherence to international standards of quality care.

We could not have gotten here without the critical intervention made by the Med4All team who ensured that the clinicians had access to good medicines to manage the cases.“ To run a hospital you need quality medicines and PharmAcces supported us in this way” He added.

In the year 2020, PharmAccess Ghana, in partnership with the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG), launched the SafeCare Quality Improvement Program. The programme aimed to support all 330 CHAG hospitals in providing quality healthcare to Ghanaians. Additionally, it assesses all CHAG-registered hospitals and facilities to ensure they meet internationally-accredited SafeCare standards. The Presby Agogo Hospital is one of such.

An integral component of this success story is the SafeCare quality improvement methodology, which has been rigorously applied across the hospital’s operations. This approach has enabled the hospital to identify and address gaps in care, implement best practices, and ensure the continuous training of its medical staff.

The result is a healthcare environment that prioritizes the safety and well-being of mothers and their newborns, leading to the significant achievement of zero maternal deaths.

The Deputy Executive Director of CHAG, Dr. James Duah expressed profound excitement over the milestone achievement by the team. He said the maternal mortality ratio under five is a proxy indicator for how efficient a hospital is.

Dr Duah added that the zero maternal death record for the year under review is a testament that the Presby Agogo Hospital is a well-functioning and resilient hospital.

He explained, “To go three hundred and sixty-five days with all the challenges, receiving 2126 women who delivered in this hospital in 2023, show that the system is working well.”

He said this shows the commitment, skill, and competencies of the staff, and the collaborative way the staff have worked with all agencies and stakeholders to achieve the zero maternal death milestone.

Dr James Duah disclosed that the Agogo Presby Hospital attained secondary status in 2020 under the Ghana Health Service, the facility also has SafeCare Level 4 certification, which means that the health seekers in the facility receive a high-quality standard of care.

Senior Nurse Officer, Juliet Adjei, indicated the journey to achieving zero mortality for mothers came through collaborative efforts.

 ”We formed a team comprising of specialists. Alongside collaborating with corresponding departments, including the pediatricians,” she said.

Municipal Director of Health, Ronald Miah, says the Presbyterian Hospital, Agogo, has adhered to the vision of ensuring high maternal health which is in line with the national journey towards achieving universal health coverage by 2030.

He said the Presbyterian Hospital in Agogo has been on a steadfast mission to eradicate maternal mortality, a journey that has seen a dramatic decrease from 499 deaths in 2000 to zero in 2023.

The Municipal Director of Health, Ronald Miah, further noted that achieving this milestone has been complementary. He said the hospital’s participation in quality improvement and training programmes has immensely transformed the hospital into a center of excellence in health delivery.

“And this hospital now has become the pivot of quality health care in significantly improving healthcare outcomes in the Asante Akyim Municipality,” he said.

As the Presbyterian Hospital in Agogo celebrates its 93rd anniversary, it also commemorates a year of unparalleled success in maternal health, made possible by the adoption of SafeCare standards and the unwavering commitment of its staff and partners.

This achievement not only sets a precedent for healthcare excellence but also offers a beacon of hope for the future of maternal care in Ghana and beyond.

This is because they are alarmed by the soaring increase in maternal mortality in the area.

The women took the decision after more than four pregnant women on their way to the district capital, Bole, to give birth died in a spate of a week due to lack of health center for the community with over 1000 population.

The decision is causing serious marital dispute between spouses but the women are standing on their ground saying they will halt giving birth if a health center is not provided for them.

In an Interview with Adom News, some of the angry women said most of their family members and friends had died either on their way to the hospital or during delivery by a traditional birth attendant.

A mother, Mariam who delivered a week ago told Adom News it is scary to be pregnant in the area due to the unavailability of a health center.

She noted that she delivered at Wenchi in the Brong Ahafo region, several miles from the community.

She pleaded with government to come to the aid of the hapless pregnant women who are dying rapidly.

A pregnant woman also added that her time to deliver was due but she hasn’t attended any prenatal care so she feared for her life.

Play attached audio for more

The Health Coordinator of the are John Kuuka described the situation as “very bad” and called for urgent measures.

Also, Assembly man of the area, Hon David Gyimah said so many appeals sent to the district assembly has not yielded any positive result.

Teselima is a community of peasant farmers with no basic amenities including a CHPs compound and locals are living in extreme poverty.

Most people in the area live on less than GH¢1 daily making it difficult to access healthcare. The women are therefore calling on government to as a matter of urgency provide