Deputy Health Minister engages KATH, Kumasi South Hospital over maternal health challenges

Deputy Health Minister, Professor Dr Grace Ayensu-Danquah, met with management and frontline workers at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) and Kumasi South Hospital in the Ashanti Region to discuss challenges affecting maternal healthcare. This marked the health minister's first day of activities in the region, with a focus on strengthening maternal healthcare and reducing preventable maternal deaths.

During meetings at both facilities, the Deputy Minister engaged with hospital leaders and health professionals to gain firsthand insight into the issues impacting maternal and newborn care. The discussions centered on emergency obstetric care, referral systems, infrastructure, staffing, and other factors influencing maternal and newborn health outcomes.

Health workers at the hospitals urged the government to expedite the completion of the Sewua and Afari hospitals, claiming that these new facilities would ease pressure on KATH and enhance access to quality healthcare in the region.

The Deputy Minister pledged the government's commitment to tackling the challenges hampering maternal healthcare and enhancing the capacity of health facilities to provide timely and high-quality care. She also toured the labor wards, outpatient departments, and other essential units at KATH and Kumasi South Hospital, interacting with patients to hear directly about their experiences and the care they received.

The meetings concluded the health minister's first day in the Ashanti Region, providing the Ministry with valuable insights into the region's maternal and newborn healthcare landscape.