Ghana’s maternal mortality rate three times above SDG target – Mahama

President John Dramani Mahama has lamented that Ghana’s maternal mortality rate remains three times higher than the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target. The President made this statement at a high-level Accra Reset event held in New York during the 81st United Nations General Assembly. He emphasized maternal and child health as critical indicators for evaluating the proposed global reset.

Mahama highlighted that maternal deaths are a pressing issue in sub-Saharan Africa, where nearly seven out of every 10 maternal deaths worldwide occur annually. He acknowledged that tackling this problem necessitates stronger health systems and international collaborations, with health being the focal point of the Accra Reset.

The President rejected the notion that structural reforms should be postponed until geopolitical tensions subside. Instead, he argued that crises often lead to significant paradigm shifts and the formation of new partnerships. "Crisis is precisely why and when new paradigms are forged. Many a time, out of chaos are born new ideas and partnerships," Mahama stated.

During the event, the final report of the Accra Reset High-Level Panel, titled "A Sovereign Future for Health," was unveiled to the Presidential Council chaired by Mahama. The report outlines recommendations for enhancing global health governance and fortifying national and regional health systems.

The Accra Reset event is part of a series of activities on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, uniting political leaders and development partners to deliberate on health governance and broader global development cooperation. Ghana has also recently ramped up its domestic efforts to combat maternal deaths through the Presidential Initiative on Maternal Health Emergency Response (PRIMER), a five-year program aiming to slash maternal mortality rates by 20% each year.