The Ashanti Region has witnessed a disturbing surge in maternal deaths, with a total of 889 women losing their lives during childbirth between 2020 and 2024.
This alarming trend has raised concerns among health authorities, with the Ashanti Regional Health Director, Dr. Fred Adomako Boateng, questioning the persistent rise in maternal mortality rates despite efforts to improve healthcare services.
“According to the records, the region witnessed a disturbing trend in maternal mortality, with 124 actual maternal deaths in 2020, rising to 168 deaths in 2021, and further increasing to 181 deaths in 2022. The situation remained grim in 2023, with 217 maternal deaths recorded, and 199 deaths in 2024,” he said.
Dr Boateng expressed the concerned when the Ashanti Regional Health Directorate organizated annual performance Review on Wednesday March 13, 2025.
These numbers are far from the target of 125 deaths per 100,000 live births.
Dr. Adomako Boateng also highlighted significant disparities in doctor-to-population and nurse-to-population ratios within the region.
While the doctor-to-population ratio has improved from 1:17,169 in 2020 to 1:5,614 in 2024, and the nurse-to-population ratio has improved from 1:7,169 in 2020 to 1:614 in 2024, these ratios remain far from the targets of 1:450 for nurses.
To address these challenges, Dr. Adomako Boateng emphasized the need for strengthening primary healthcare services, improving the distribution of healthcare professionals, and enhancing the overall quality of care.
The Ashanti Regional Health Directorate has recognized Amansie West, Asante South, and Sekyere South health facilities as the best-performing health institutions in the region.
The high maternal mortality rate in the Ashanti Region is a concern that requires immediate attention. With Ghana aiming to meet the target of 70 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030, it is essential to address the disparities in healthcare services and ensure that pregnant women receive quality care.
