Ghana Launches Presidential Initiative to Cut Maternal Deaths by 20%
Ghana has launched the Presidential Initiative on Maternal Health Emergency Response (PRIMER) to accelerate efforts to reduce maternal deaths and ensure that women receive timely and quality care before, during and after childbirth.
The five-year multisectoral initiative, launched by Vice President Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang on behalf of President John Dramani Mahama, is being implemented under the theme “No Woman Should Die While Giving Life.”
Speaking at the launch, the Vice President noted that the country’s maternal mortality ratio remained above the Sustainable Development Goal target of fewer than 70 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030, requiring greater attention to quality of care, emergency readiness, transportation, communication and coordination among health facilities.
She said the initiative would bring together ministries, public institutions, local authorities, traditional and religious leaders, civil society, the private sector and communities to address barriers to maternal survival, including transport, roads, water, energy and other factors beyond the health sector.
Deputy Minister for Health, Hon. Prof. Grace Ayensu-Danquah, disclosed that the Ministry had integrated its Maternal Mortality Action and Response Programme (MMARP) into PRIMER as its fifth pillar, providing the initiative with a dedicated clinical and operational component.
According to her, Ghana’s current maternal mortality ratio stands at about 234 deaths per 100,000 live births, with institutional maternal deaths reaching 965 in 2025.
She explained that a significant proportion of the deaths involved referrals from lower-level facilities, with challenges including the failure to identify high-risk pregnancies early, delays in emergency referrals, inadequate critical-care equipment and gaps in access to blood and other essential resources.
Prof. Ayensu-Danquah said MMARP would therefore place strong emphasis on strengthening primary-level care, referral systems, and emergency response, with the goal of reducing maternal mortality by 20 per cent annually over the next three years.
The Vice President charged health professionals, communities, traditional and religious leaders, development partners and relevant government institutions to play their respective roles in ensuring that women seek care early and receive timely interventions.
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