Ghana recorded 965 institutional maternal deaths in 2025, highlighting what health authorities continue to describe as one of the country’s most urgent public health challenges.
The figure was referenced by Deputy Minister for Health, Prof. Dr Grace Ayensu-Danquah, during discussions on Ghana’s efforts to reduce maternal mortality and strengthen the country’s healthcare response.
Prof. Ayensu-Danquah described maternal mortality as a major concern and stressed the need for urgent, coordinated and sustained interventions to prevent avoidable deaths during pregnancy and childbirth.
The latest data has intensified calls for stronger emergency response systems, better referral networks, improved access to essential medical supplies and closer monitoring of maternal health outcomes across the country.
The Ministry of Health has already launched a national strategy aimed at reducing maternal deaths by 30 percent within the next 24 months, with particular attention being given to 11 high-burden referral and teaching hospitals.
According to information released following the launch of the strategy, about 42 percent of the 965 institutional maternal deaths recorded in 2025 occurred across the 11 targeted facilities, underscoring the pressure faced by major referral centres.
The strategy is expected to focus on some of the leading causes of maternal deaths, including postpartum haemorrhage, hypertensive disorders and sepsis.
Health authorities are also seeking to strengthen the enforcement of clinical protocols while improving emergency response systems and referral arrangements to ensure that women experiencing complications receive timely care.
Another key component is the planned acceleration of the National Patient Referral Policy and its implementation guidelines. The policy is expected to improve coordination and efficiency when patients require transfers between health facilities.
The Ministry has also indicated that high-burden hospitals will be prioritised for retooling with essential medical equipment, blood products, emergency response systems and other critical healthcare supplies.
Prof. Ayensu-Danquah has urged stakeholders to move beyond discussions and focus on practical interventions capable of saving lives, particularly in situations where timely medical intervention can prevent maternal deaths.
The 2025 figure comes against a broader concern about the country’s maternal health performance and the need to strengthen services before, during and after childbirth.
Health officials, Ghana Health Service representatives, regional health directors, development partners and frontline healthcare workers have been brought together as part of efforts to develop a more coordinated response to the challenge.
The renewed focus also places greater attention on the ability of hospitals to respond rapidly to obstetric emergencies, including severe bleeding, hypertension-related complications and infections.
For many health professionals, reducing maternal mortality will require not only additional resources but also stronger systems for identifying complications early, ensuring timely referrals and maintaining adequate supplies and skilled personnel at facilities.
The government has therefore set the 30 percent reduction target as a major benchmark for the next two years, with the performance of the targeted high-burden hospitals expected to form an important part of the national response.
Beyond the statistics, the maternal mortality figures represent mothers whose deaths have affected families and communities across Ghana, reinforcing the need for sustained investment in maternal and emergency healthcare.
As Ghana intensifies its efforts, health authorities are expected to continue monitoring maternal deaths, identifying preventable causes and implementing corrective measures across the healthcare system.
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The fight against maternal mortality remains a national responsibility, requiring government, healthcare professionals, development partners, communities and families to work together to ensure that pregnancy and childbirth do not become preventable causes of death.
