Dr. Grace Ayensu-Danquah with Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II
For most families, childbirth is a moment of hope, joy and new beginnings. I believe that is exactly how God intended it to be.
Yet for too many women in our dear country, pregnancy and childbirth remain dangerous journeys. Preventable complications continue to claim lives despite significant improvements in access to healthcare and antenatal services.
Ghana has made important progress, reducing its maternal mortality ratio from 943 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2000 to 234 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2023, according to the latest estimates from the World Health Organization (WHO) and partner agencies.
However, this remains far above the Sustainable Development Goal and World Health Organization (WHO) benchmark of fewer than 70 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030.
While these may sound like the usual statistics, they indeed represent the lives of mothers, children, families and a future forever changed.
President Mahama’s Charge
This sad reality is driving the renewed national effort led by President John Dramani Mahama through the Ministry of Health to help address this and save the lives of mothers.
President Mahama, as a father and leader of our nation, has been unequivocal on this issue: no woman should lose her life while giving life.
That conviction is driving the government’s determination to make the reduction of maternal mortality a national priority. For us at the Ministry of Health, we see it as a moral imperative and a shared national responsibility.
As a medical doctor, a woman, a mother and Deputy Minister for Health, I share that commitment. Together with my Minister, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, we are determined to work with healthcare professionals, traditional leaders, development partners and communities to ensure that every pregnant woman has access to timely, quality and life-saving care.
The Maternal Mortality Action and Response Plan (MMARP) is an initiative by the Ministry of Health aimed at accelerating the reduction of maternal deaths and ensuring that every woman survives pregnancy and childbirth.
Troubling Question
As part of the MMARP, I recently undertook a working tour of the Greater Accra Ashanti Regions, engaging with key stakeholders, including health professionals, traditional leaders and volunteers to canvass support for efforts to reduce maternal deaths. The engagements confronted me with a troubling question: Why are women still dying during childbirth after attending more than eight antenatal care visits?
The answer lies in the reality that access to care alone is not enough. A woman may diligently attend antenatal clinics yet still face fatal complications if emergency care is delayed, referral systems fail, or critical services are unavailable when she needs them most.
That is why as a government, we are not just focusing on access, but are also keen on the quality, timeliness and effectiveness of care.
At the Greater Accra and Ashanti Regional Health Directorates, I met health managers, medical directors, frontline professionals and development partners to examine maternal mortality trends and identify gaps that continue to put lives at risk. Together, we discussed practical solutions to strengthen emergency obstetric care, improve referral systems and deepen accountability across our health facilities.
I also paid a courtesy call on King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, the Ga Mantse, and Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu, the Asantene, to seek the support of traditional authorities in this national effort.
Maternal health is not solely the responsibility of doctors and nurses. Communities, families, chiefs, queen mothers, religious leaders and opinion leaders all have a role to play in ensuring that pregnant women receive timely and appropriate care.
I was encouraged by the Asantehene and the Ga Mantse’s commitment, and their pledge that traditional leaders would champion maternal health awareness and encourage women to seek care early and consistently.
Health Workers’ Commitment
My visits to the Greater Accra Regional Hospital and Korle Bu Teaching Hospital provided valuable insights into the realities facing frontline health workers.
Doctors, nurses and midwives continue to work tirelessly, often under immense pressure, to save lives. They also identified challenges that must be addressed if we are to achieve lasting reductions in maternal mortality. Government remains committed to working with them to strengthen services, improve emergency response systems and close critical gaps in care.
The Charge
Maternal mortality is a sad reality facing our republic and as leaders and citizens, we must all rise to help address it. Fortunately, President Mahama has given his commitment and we at the ministry are eager to rollout measures to help address the challenges. That is why I am appealing to you, every Ghanaian to join this effort.
Support pregnant women in your family and community. Encourage pregnant women to attend antenatal clinics, deliver in health facilities and seek immediate care when complications arise.
Our men must become active partners in maternal health. Community leaders must use their influence to promote healthy behaviours. Employers, faith-based organisations and civil society groups must also lend their voices to this cause.
The truth is most maternal deaths are preventable. With timely care, strong health systems and community support, more mothers can survive and thrive.
As a government, our vision is clear. Every pregnancy should be safe. Every delivery should be protected and every mother should return home with her newborn.
Together, let us make maternal mortality a challenge of the past and build a Ghana where no woman dies while giving life.
By Dr. Grace Ayensu-Danquah
The writer is the Deputy Minister of Health and Member of Parliament for Essikado-Ketan Constituency
