Maternal mortality requires comprehensive, sustained response — Akosua Manu

Akosua Manu, advisor on Gender and Social Protection to Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has urged Ghana to implement a comprehensive and sustained response to its maternal mortality crisis. This plea came in the lead-up to the inauguration of the Presidential Initiative on Maternal Health Emergency Response (PRIMER) on September 14.

Expressing her support for the initiative on social media, Manu emphasized that the crisis demands more than mere declarations. "This is a significant step, and I welcome it. Given the scale and persistence of preventable maternal deaths, a response that is comprehensive, evidence-based, and sustained is required," she stated.

Citing a three-year study conducted at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital from January 2021 to December 2023, reported in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Manu cited a maternal mortality ratio of 801 deaths per 100,000 live births. She underscored the alarming gap this ratio reveals, emphasizing the urgent need to fortify Ghana's emergency obstetric care and maternal health systems.

Furthermore, Manu called for a bipartisan parliamentary inquiry into preventable maternal deaths, advocating for a response that is both national in scope and bipartisan in spirit. She reiterated her call for a bipartisan parliamentary inquiry into preventable maternal deaths, stating that such an inquiry could uncover systemic gaps and bolster accountability.

Manu also pledged the New Patriotic Party's support for credible initiatives aimed at enhancing the health, dignity, and wellbeing of women and children. She concluded by asserting that the ultimate goal must be unequivocal: "No woman should die while giving life, and no child should lose a mother to a preventable cause."