What was once a maternity ward struggling with congestion, inadequate space and overstretched resources has become one of the busiest centres for childbirth in the Volta Region.

Just two years after the MTN Ghana Foundation commissioned a modern 60-bed Maternity and Child Health Block at the Keta Municipal Hospital, the facility has not only transformed healthcare delivery but has also restored confidence among expectant mothers, leading to a sharp rise in hospital deliveries.

A JoyNews visit to the hospital revealed a remarkable shift in maternal healthcare, with hospital authorities crediting the facility for increased antenatal attendance, improved patient outcomes and the highest number of deliveries recorded in the Volta Region in 2025.

The GH¢15.2 million project, completed in March 2024 under the MTN Foundation’s corporate social responsibility programme, was designed to bridge the hospital’s infrastructure gap and improve maternal and neonatal care.

The complex houses a 40-bed maternity ward with emergency rooms, delivery suites, recovery and lying-in wards, two operating theatres, consulting rooms, a neonatal intensive care unit, laboratory, pharmacy, outpatient department, mothers’ hostel and other support services, allowing patients to receive comprehensive care in one location.

For Hospital Administrator Faruk Iddrissu, the facility represents a complete turnaround from the difficult conditions that once confronted both patients and healthcare workers.

“We used to operate from a very small maternity ward, making it difficult to provide quality care. Sometimes women had to be managed on the floor because there simply wasn’t enough space,” he recalled.

According to him, the impact of the new maternity block has been immediate and measurable.

Over the past two years, the hospital has recorded approximately 25,000 antenatal care visits and admitted more than 6,000 pregnant women for delivery and maternal care.

He said the increased patronage reflects renewed public confidence in the hospital’s services, while improvements in maternal health indicators point to better quality care.

“The facility has improved access to quality healthcare for mothers and newborns. Today, more women are choosing to deliver here because they know they will receive safe and dignified care,” he said.

Inside the maternity block, the transformation is evident not only in the infrastructure but also in the morale of healthcare workers.

Maternity Ward In-Charge Grace Gunu, who has served at the hospital for seven years, said the facility has fundamentally changed the way maternal healthcare is delivered.

“This is more than a building. It has transformed the way we work and the care we provide. Staff now have a conducive environment, and mothers have access to comprehensive services under one roof,” she explained.

She said the integrated design of the complex, which includes the labour ward, postnatal ward, theatres, neonatal intensive care unit, pharmacy, laboratory and other support units, has reduced delays in treatment and improved patient experience.

According to her, the confidence inspired by the facility is reflected in the growing number of expectant mothers choosing the hospital.

“Since this maternity block was opened, attendance and deliveries have increased significantly. In 2025, Keta Municipal Hospital recorded the highest number of births in the Volta Region. That achievement speaks volumes about the impact this investment has made.”

For many mothers, the difference is deeply personal.

Women who delivered at the hospital told JoyNews that the modern facility offered them comfort, privacy and peace of mind throughout labour and delivery.

They praised the clean environment, spacious wards and dedication of the medical staff, describing the experience as a significant improvement over what many had previously encountered.

Several expressed gratitude to the MTN Foundation, saying the project has given mothers in Keta and neighbouring communities access to safer, more dignified maternity care.

Beyond the impressive infrastructure and rising statistics, the story unfolding at the Keta Municipal Hospital is ultimately about trust — trust that mothers can deliver in safe conditions, trust that newborns can receive prompt specialised care, and trust that when strategic investments are made in healthcare, communities reap lasting benefits.

Two years after its commissioning, the maternity block is not simply easing pressure on a hospital; it is helping rewrite the story of childbirth in Keta, one safe delivery at a time.

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