The government of Ghana has introduced the Presidential Initiative on Maternal Health Emergency Response (PRIMER) to reverse the country’s high maternal mortality rate and safeguard women during pregnancy and childbirth.
The five-year multisectoral campaign, launched by Vice-President Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang on behalf of President John Dramani Mahama, operates under the banner “No Woman Should Die While Giving Life.”
Speaking at the launch, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang noted that Ghana’s maternal mortality ratio remains well above the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of fewer than 70 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030. She emphasized that reaching this goal demands immediate improvements in emergency readiness, referral transportation, health facility communication, and overall quality of care.
The Vice-President outlined that PRIMER will coordinate efforts across government ministries, local assemblies, traditional rulers, civil society, and the private sector. This cross-sector approach aims to dismantle non-medical barriers to maternal survival, including poor road networks, unreliable transport, and limited access to water and power.
Providing details on the operational strategy, Deputy Minister for Health, Hon. Prof. Grace Ayensu-Danquah, revealed that the ministry has integrated its Maternal Mortality Action and Response Programme (MMARP) directly into PRIMER as its core clinical pillar.
Ghana currently records approximately 234 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, with institutional maternal fatalities reaching 965 in 2025.
Prof. Ayensu-Danquah highlighted that a high proportion of these fatalities occur during or after transfers from primary health centers. Key drivers of these deaths include late identification of high-risk pregnancies, delayed emergency referrals, shortages of critical-care equipment, and limited access to safe blood products.
Through the MMARP framework, the Ministry of Health intends to strengthen primary care capacity and overhaul emergency referral pathways, targeting a 20 per cent annual reduction in maternal deaths over the next three years.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang called on health workers, community groups, religious bodies, and development partners to actively support the drive to ensure women seek medical attention early and receive rapid, life-saving care.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana