Ghana’s institutional maternal mortality ratio falls – Report

Ghana ‘s Institutional maternal mortality ratio fell from 216 per every 100,000 live births in 1990 to 144 in 2014, the 2015 United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) report on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), has revealed.

The scenario represents a 7.2 per cent drop in 24 years and according to the report, the current figure of 144 per 1000,000 live births, is still way up the global MDG target of 54 per 100,000 live births.

Mrs. Juliette Lampoh, the Country Director of Concern Universal Ghana, a UK international development organization, who disclosed this at the launching of a health project at Abesim, near Sunyani, said though the country had made some progress, the figure could be higher when non-institutional maternal deaths are considered.

“More robust efforts therefore must be geared towards improving the situation to achieve the global target,” she urged.

Mrs Lampoh said it was commendable that the country has made some strides in increasing access to maternal health services, more would have to be done to improve quality of care.

The Country Director lauded the government of Ghana and other development partners for making it a top priority to improve maternal healthcare to reduce maternal mortality in the country.

The 42-month project dubbed “Citizens’ Participation for Accountability in Health service delivery (CiPAH)”, is being implemented in the Brong-Ahafo Region by the Concern Universal in partnership with Social Development and Improvement Agency (SODIA), a local NGO.

The European Union (EU) is funding the CiPAH project at the cost of cost of 540,161 Euros.

It is being implemented in eight districts - Techiman North, Wenchi, Tain, Nkoranza North, Nkoranza South, Kintmapo North, Kintampo South and Tano South.

Among other benefits, the project seeks to enhance access to improved maternal care through capacity building and to contribute to improving the effectiveness and quality of health service delivery on maternal health.

Mr Aziim Issifu, the Executive Director of SODIA, said the long-term benefit of the project is enormous and appealed to the beneficiary district and municipal assembles to support and make it a success.