Event

This was revealed at the opening of the 5th Maternal, Child Health and Nutrition Conference in Accra.

The three-day conference focused on accelerating progress toward the attainment of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and promoting equitable access to Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health and Nutrition (RMNCAH&N) services for all.

The conference was being held on the theme: “Strengthening Free Primary Health Care — Accelerating Equity and Access to Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health and Nutrition Services Towards the Attainment of the SDG 2030.”

It brought together key stakeholders—including the Paediatric Society of Ghana, the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Ghana, the Ghana Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and the Ghana Registered Midwives Association — who are committed to improving the well-being of mothers, children, and families across the nation.

Critical insights

In a speech read by Public Health Physician Specialist, Dr Caroline Reindorf Amissah, on behalf of the Health Minister, he highlighted critical insights from the Ghana Health Service 2024 Annual Report, showing persistent challenges in maternal health despite some gains in antenatal care.

The speech emphasised that Ghana’s maternal mortality challenges stem from inequities in primary healthcare access, gaps in quality of care, inadequate data systems, and insufficient workforce capacity at the community and primary levels.

The minister, therefore, called for strengthening of primary health care, especially midwifery and community-based services.

He also urged improving respectful maternity care, emergency obstetric services, and newborn resuscitation capacity, as well as scaling digital health innovations, outreach services, and reproductive health access.

Global, national trends

The Chief of Health and Nutrition, UNICEF, Juan Manuel Dewez, in a speech, highlighted both global and national progress and setbacks in maternal, child health, and nutrition.

He said while the world had seen major declines in maternal and child deaths over recent decades, maternal mortality has recently stagnated or increased in nearly all regions, with a woman dying every two minutes during pregnancy or childbirth—amounting to 287,000 deaths in 2020.

These deaths, he said, are largely caused by severe bleeding, hypertension, infections, and unsafe abortions, which are all entirely preventable with timely, high-quality care. Without urgent action, over one million additional women could die by 2030, he disclosed.

"In recent years, we have witnessed alarming setbacks in women's health.

Maternal deaths have either stagnated or increased in nearly all regions of the world.

Globally, every two minutes, a woman dies during pregnancy or childbirth.

That translates to 287,000 women losing their lives in 2020," he said.

Turning to Ghana, Mr Dewez emphasised that maternal mortality remained three times higher than the SDG target, with eight women dying every day from delivery-related complications.

He called on the country to make substantial improvements in maternal, child health and nutrition.