Dr. Emmanuel Tinkorang, the Regional Director of Health Services, has emphasized the crucial role that the operationalization of ongoing hospital projects in the Ashanti Region will play in improving maternal mortality rates. Speaking at the 2023 annual performance review meeting in Kumasi, Dr. Tinkorang highlighted the significance of completing projects such as the Afari Military Hospital and the Regional Hospital at Sewua.
He emphasized that the region's reliance solely on the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) for emergency obstetric complications was inadequate, leading to delayed referrals and increased maternal mortality rates. With the completion of these hospital projects, Dr. Tinkorang projected an additional 790 beds, enabling better access to emergency obstetric care for women in the region.
Dr. Tinkorang acknowledged the concerning increase in institutional maternal mortality rates from 134 per 100,000 live births in 2022 to 167 per 100,000 live births in 2023. He identified Post Partum Hemorrhage and complications of pregnancy-induced hypertension as major contributors to this rise. However, he noted a positive trend in institutional neonatal mortality, which improved from eight per 1,000 live births in 2022 to five per 1,000 live births in 2023.
Highlighting the urgency of completing ongoing hospital projects, Dr. Tinkorang emphasized the region's vast population of about 5.6 million, underscoring the necessity for expanded health infrastructure beyond KATH. He called on the government to expedite the construction of access roads for the Regional Hospital to enhance healthcare delivery.
Dr. Franklin Asiedu-Bekoe, Director of Public Health at the Ghana Health Service (GHS), stressed the importance of accelerating progress towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC). He challenged stakeholders to explore innovative strategies to achieve the target of eight percent coverage by 2030, emphasizing the need for deliberate efforts and collaboration.
Expressing concern over staff attrition, Dr. Asiedu-Bekoe highlighted the GHS's efforts to address gaps in staffing and improve conditions of service, particularly in less endowed areas. He urged facility managers to implement mechanisms for staff rotation to ensure equitable distribution of healthcare professionals across regions.
The meeting, themed “Accelerating Progress Towards Universal Health Coverage: Strengthening Primary Health Care through Network of Practice,” brought together stakeholders from all 43 districts of the region to strategize on enhancing healthcare delivery and achieving UHC goals.