Ghana faces maternal mortality crisis amid medical skill gaps

Ghana is grappling with a maternal mortality crisis, recording 986 maternal deaths in 2024, which translates to a ratio of 235 deaths per 100,000 live births. This figure remains significantly higher than the Sustainable Development Goal target of fewer than 70 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030.

Dr. Kennedy Brightson, Director of Family Health at the Ghana Health Service and Technical Advisor to the Vice President on Health, has identified inadequate medical expertise as a primary driver of these deaths. He noted that while complications such as postpartum haemorrhage, hypertensive conditions, and sepsis are major causes, many deaths during caesarean sections result from poor execution rather than the procedure itself. Dr. Brightson stated, “It is not the performance of caesarean section that is the challenge. It is the way it is carried out, the skill, that is the problem.”

Audits indicate that many deaths occur due to undetected internal bleeding from small, unattended blood vessels. Furthermore, a lack of necessary resources within the healthcare system often prevents medical staff from effectively intervening even when complications are identified.