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

In a landmark achievement for maternal health, the Presbyterian Hospital at Agogo, situated in the Ashanti region, has heralded a year of remarkable success by reporting zero maternal mortality in 2023.

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 played 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.