Midwife Training Urgently Needed to Cut Maternal Deaths

Ghana must urgently expand specialized midwifery training. The Ghana Registered Midwives Association (GRMA) made this emphatic call. They aim to reduce the country's maternal mortality rate. This initiative is crucial for improving care for mothers and newborns.

A lack of advanced skills among midwives contributes to maternal deaths. Many midwives can handle normal births. However, they struggle with life-threatening complications. These include severe bleeding after childbirth (postpartum haemorrhage). They also face challenges with dangerously high blood pressure during pregnancy (hypertension). Specialists say more training can help midwives identify and manage these issues. It also aids in making timely referrals, especially in rural areas.

Ghana's health story shows a concerning trend. In 2025, 968 women died from maternal causes. The rate of deaths during institutional births rose slightly. It went from 109.22 per 100,000 live births in 2023 to 110 in 2024. The percentage of deliveries attended by skilled personnel dropped. It fell from 60.6 per cent in 2023 to 55 per cent in 2024. These figures highlight an urgent need for action. Rural communities remain underserved by skilled health workers.

Mrs Netta Forson Ackon, President of the GRMA, stressed this point. She spoke at an event in Tamale. "A midwife often takes care of more than one life at a time—the mother and the unborn child," she stated. She added that "the conditions of service do not reflect the level of responsibility." Ms Leticia Asaba Atia of the National Association of Registered Midwives (NARM) Ghana agreed. She called for government investment in specialised training and fair deployment.

The implications are significant. The government faces pressure to act. Investing in training means more skilled professionals. It also means better care and fewer preventable deaths. Decisions about health budgets and workforce planning must now include this critical need. The Ministry of Health is introducing policies to support new midwives. They are also working on centres of excellence for training. This renewed focus aims to bridge the gap between learning and practice. Improved working conditions, especially in rural areas, are also a key demand.

Data from the 2024 Health Labour Market Analysis shows Ghana has 40,700 midwives. This is 26.9 per cent of the total nursing and midwifery workforce. Over 14,000 skilled midwives are still awaiting employment. More than 3,500 midwives graduate annually. However, uneven deployment means urban areas get more staff. Rural areas suffer from shortages. Health professionals also migrate abroad seeking better pay and conditions. A managed migration policy is planned to temper this outward flow.