The government has intensified efforts to reduce maternal deaths and strengthen emergency healthcare delivery in the Northern Region as part of measures to build a healthier society.

The Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Grace Ayensu-Danquah, is leading a series of community engagements and supporting specialised nursing training programmes in the region under the government’s Maternal Mortality Action and Response Programme (MMARP).

The initiative seeks to reduce preventable maternal deaths through stronger collaboration among health authorities, traditional leaders and local communities.

During the second day of her tour, Dr Ayensu-Danquah visited Adibo and Gbungbaliga in the Yendi Municipality, where she engaged community leaders, inspected healthcare facilities and listened to concerns from residents about challenges affecting maternal healthcare delivery.

As part of the visit, she paid a courtesy call on the Paramount Chief of the Gbungbaliga Traditional Area, Naa Bapri Gbungbal-Naa Abdallah Abudu Sulemana, and toured the Adibo Health Centre, the Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compound and the Yendi Municipal Hospital.

The engagements were aimed at identifying local factors contributing to maternal deaths and strengthening community support for government interventions.

Government commitment

Addressing residents and community elders, Dr Ayensu-Danquah assured them that the Ministry of Health remained committed to addressing critical healthcare needs, particularly those affecting pregnant women and newborns.

She announced that under the government’s Free Primary Health Care initiative, community health workers equipped with mobile health backpacks would regularly visit homes and communities to provide essential maternal and child healthcare services.

According to the Deputy Minister, the outreach programme would help bring healthcare closer to vulnerable populations, especially women in remote communities who often face difficulties accessing medical care during pregnancy and childbirth.

She also encouraged households to adopt healthy and nutritious diets using locally available foods, emphasising that proper nutrition plays a vital role in improving maternal and child health outcomes.

Traditional authorities, however, used the opportunity to highlight some of the challenges affecting healthcare delivery in their communities.

Traditional leaders’ appeal

The Paramount Chief commended Dr Ayensu-Danquah for engaging directly with traditional leaders and residents, describing the visit as a demonstration of government’s commitment to bringing healthcare solutions closer to communities.

He appealed for additional health workers, expansion of existing facilities, accommodation for health staff, transportation for outreach programmes, reliable supply of medicines and backup power systems for the Adibo Health Centre and Gbungbaliga CHPS compound.

Strengthening emergency healthcare workforce

Beyond maternal health, Dr Ayensu-Danquah also used her Northern Region visit to promote efforts aimed at improving Ghana’s emergency healthcare workforce.

At the Nurses’ and Midwives’ Training College (NMTC) in Tamale, she welcomed 49 students admitted into the institution’s newly established Bachelor of Science in Emergency Nursing Programme.

The students form the first cohort of the programme, which school authorities describe as a pioneering initiative aimed at improving emergency care delivery in Ghana.

At the matriculation ceremony, the Deputy Minister reminded the students of the critical role they would play in saving lives.

“Your clients are waiting for you at the door of every emergency room in this country,” she told the students, urging them to prepare for the demands of providing life-saving care.

She described the programme as a major milestone under the government’s Reset Agenda and the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, popularly known as Mahama Cares, which seeks to strengthen healthcare delivery through specialised training and improved services.

Dr Ayensu-Danquah urged the students to uphold high ethical standards, discipline and dedication throughout their training, noting that emergency nursing requires quick decision-making, technical competence and compassion.

The Principal of NMTC Tamale, Dr Abdulai Abdul-Malik, welcomed the pioneer students and encouraged them to pursue academic excellence while developing the integrity and practical skills needed to become effective emergency nursing professionals.

The Deputy Minister’s engagements coincided with an orientation programme organised by the Ministry of Health in Tamale for advisory board members of health training institutions.

Held under the theme, “Effective Governance, Role Clarity and Collaboration between Management and Advisory Boards of Health Training Institutions,” the programme seeks to strengthen institutional leadership and improve the quality of health training across the country.

The maternal health outreach, emergency nursing programme and governance reforms form part of broader government efforts to improve healthcare delivery and build a stronger health workforce capable of responding to Ghana’s evolving healthcare needs.

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