The Greater Accra Chapter of the National Association of Registered Midwives-Ghana has called for stronger and more coordinated action to prevent maternal deaths in Ghana.
The call was made when the association met the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, to discuss the challenges contributing to maternal mortality and ways to improve the health and safety of mothers and newborns.
Led by its Chairperson, Rosetta N. Boakye, the delegation presented the minister with a policy position paper titled Ending Preventable Maternal Deaths in Ghana: A Policy Position on Accelerating Ghana’s Progress Towards SDG 3.1.
The paper identifies several areas that require urgent attention, including the quality of maternal healthcare, staffing and professional capacity, referral systems, and access to timely treatment when obstetric complications arise.
The association said Ghana had made progress in reducing maternal mortality but warned that the pace of progress was still not enough to meet the Sustainable Development Goal target of fewer than 70 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030.
It called for renewed efforts by health institutions, government agencies and other stakeholders to address the causes of maternal deaths that can be prevented with timely and appropriate care.
Dr Lartey welcomed the concerns raised by the midwives and stressed the need for closer collaboration between institutions to address the challenges faced by vulnerable women.
She said pregnant and lactating mothers, in particular, often require not only access to healthcare but also social and economic support to improve their wellbeing and that of their children.
The minister pointed to existing social protection programmes, including the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme, which supports vulnerable households.
She said there was a need for stronger links between social protection programmes and health interventions so that vulnerable mothers could receive more comprehensive support.
Dr Lartey assured the delegation that the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection would continue to work with relevant institutions and stakeholders to strengthen measures aimed at protecting women and promoting safer motherhood.
The engagement forms part of efforts to bring health and social protection institutions closer together in tackling the factors that continue to put mothers and newborns at risk.
