Reducing Maternal and Infant Mortality in Ghana.

Policy Brief: Reducing Maternal and Infant Mortality in Ghana

Executive Summary

Every 90 seconds, a woman dies from complications of pregnancy or childbirth—most of these deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa. In Ghana, maternal and infant mortality remain unacceptably high, despite some improvements in health access. This policy brief outlines evidence-based strategies to reduce these deaths by addressing healthcare infrastructure, community engagement, and systemic inequalities.

The Problem

High maternal and neonatal mortality in Ghana is driven by inadequate skilled birth attendance, limited emergency obstetric care, cultural barriers, and lack of family planning access. Rural communities face the greatest challenges, with many deaths going unreported.

Policy Recommendations

1. Expand and Support Midwifery Workforce

• Invest in midwifery training schools, especially in underserved regions.• Provide housing, scholarships, and incentives for midwives in rural areas.• Partner with global maternal health organizations for long-term workforce support.

2. Improve Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care (EmONC)

• Upgrade district hospitals with surgical capacity and blood supplies.• Create community-level emergency transport systems.• Ensure 24/7 staffing and supplies for delivery wards and surgical suites.

3. Strengthen Antenatal and Postnatal Services

• Expand mobile outreach services to reach pregnant women in remote areas.• Use digital tools (e.g., SMS reminders, telehealth) to improve continuity of care.• Offer free postnatal care visits up to six weeks postpartum.

4. Promote Community Education and Cultural Engagement

• Conduct health literacy campaigns via radio, churches, and schools.• Involve traditional leaders and fathers in maternal health conversations.• Address teen pregnancy through school programs and mentorship networks.

5. Ensure Access to Family Planning Services

• Provide free and reliable access to contraceptives nationwide.• Train providers in respectful, culturally appropriate family planning counseling.• Integrate family planning into maternal care and community outreach services.

6. Create Accountability Through Data and Reporting

• Implement Maternal Death Surveillance and Response (MDSR) systems.• Improve birth and death registration at community and national levels.• Establish local health accountability forums for maternal and child health outcomes.

Conclusion

Reducing maternal and infant mortality in Ghana is possible with a coordinated, well-funded, and community-engaged response. By investing in skilled care, emergency readiness, family planning, and education, Ghana can save thousands of lives each year. This is not only a health imperative—it is a moral and national priority.

Prepared by: Lorna OwensFounder, Footprints Foundationwww.desert-sage.co

Ministry of Health | Ghana Health Service

KEYNOTE SPEECH

A Call to Action – Ending Preventable Maternal and Infant Deaths

By Lorna Owens, CEO of Desert Sage Lifestyle Company

Every 90 seconds... a woman dies.Not from war. Not from violence. But from bringing life into the world.Every 90 seconds, somewhere on this planet, a mother takes her last breath during pregnancy or childbirth—leaving behind a newborn, a grieving family, and a wound in the soul of humanity.And the heartbreak is this: Most of these deaths are entirely preventable.

My name is Lorna Owens, and I am the founder and CEO of Desert Sage Lifestyle Company. We are more than a wellness brand. We are a movement. We donate 15% of every product sold—from teas to candles to skincare—to fund efforts that reduce maternal and infant mortality around the world.Why? Because wellness means nothing if it does not begin with our mothers. Because luxury means nothing if it does not extend compassion to those in need. Because no mother should die giving birth. Not now. Not ever.

The crisis is most acute in sub-Saharan Africa, where the majority of maternal deaths occur. A lack of trained midwives. Limited access to emergency obstetric care. Poverty. Transportation gaps. Disrespect in healthcare settings. Social and gender inequities.Imagine giving birth on the dirt floor of a rural hut. Imagine walking miles while in labor. Imagine losing your baby because there was no oxygen, no sterile gloves, no one to help.This is the daily reality for too many women—our sisters, our global family.

We are not here today just to raise awareness.We are here because this is urgent. This is solvable.We have the tools. We have the knowledge. What we need is the will.This is not a woman's issue. This is a human issue. This is a justice issue. This is a leadership issue.When a mother dies, it is not just a private tragedy—it is a public emergency.Her children are more likely to die. Her family more likely to fall into poverty.Communities destabilize. Nations lose future leaders.The health of women is the health of the world.

So what can the world do?1. Invest in Midwifery and Community Health Systems.   Train and pay more midwives. Bring care to the doorstep of every woman.2. Ensure Emergency Obstetric Care Is Within Reach.   No woman should die because a hospital is 100 miles away and there’s no vehicle.3. Educate and Empower Girls.   Delay marriage. Delay childbirth. Give them futures before motherhood.4. Create Respectful and Culturally Sensitive Care.   No woman should be shamed or neglected while giving life.5. Track and Report Every Death.   What we don’t count, we cannot change.6. Build a Global Coalition—governments, NGOs, companies, artists, men, women, YOU.Desert Sage cannot do this alone. The UN cannot do this alone. But together, we can. We must.

We don’t need another conference.We need a movement.One rooted in justice.One fueled by compassion.One led by innovation and guided by mothers’ voices.Let us start maternal health clubs in every church and community center .Let us train midwives for every village.Let us send mobile clinics into the most remote corners.Let us make this issue visible—in boardrooms, on billboards, in parliament.

History will ask:What did we do when we knew?What did we do when every 90 seconds a mother slipped away from life?Let the answer be this:We rose.We acted.We loved fiercely and fought gently.Because when we save a mother, we save the future.And when we honor birth, we honor all of humanity.

Thank you. Let us rise together.Let us create a world where no mother dies giving life.