A total of 986 pregnant women died in Ghana in 2024, highlighting the persistent challenges confronting maternal healthcare delivery in the country.
The Deputy Minister of Health, Dr. Grace Ayensu-Danquah, disclosed this during a tour of selected health facilities in the Greater Accra Region under the Maternal Mortality Action and Response Programme on Thursday, August 6.
According to her, Ghana recorded a maternal mortality ratio of 235 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2024, a situation she described as a major public health concern.
“In 2024, 986 pregnant women died,” she said.
Dr. Ayensu-Danquah stressed the need for stronger interventions to prevent avoidable maternal deaths, insisting that no woman should lose her life in the process of giving birth.
She said the ongoing tour is aimed at assessing maternal healthcare delivery, identifying gaps at health facilities and strengthening measures to ensure pregnant women receive timely and appropriate care.
The Deputy Health Minister further emphasised the importance of improving primary healthcare, particularly the ability of health centres to detect complications early and refer women with high-risk pregnancies to facilities capable of providing specialised care.
She noted that early identification and referral of high-risk pregnancies could help prevent complications from becoming life-threatening.
Dr. Ayensu-Danquah also disclosed that the government is taking steps to address infrastructure and equipment challenges at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital to improve the quality of maternal healthcare services.
She said strengthening facilities, improving referral systems and equipping healthcare providers with the necessary resources remain critical to reducing maternal deaths in Ghana.
