Advisor on Gender and Social Protection to Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Akosua Manu has called for a stronger national response to Ghana’s maternal mortality crisis, saying the problem requires sustained action beyond announcements and photo opportunities.
Her comments come ahead of the launch of the Presidential Initiative on Maternal Health Emergency Response (PRIMER) on Monday, September 14, 2026.
Reacting to the initiative in a social media post on Thursday, September 10, 2026, Akosua Manu also known in media circles as Kozie cautioned that maternal deaths must not become another occasion for photo opps without sustained follow-through.
“The scale and persistence of this crisis require a comprehensive, evidence-based and sustained national response involving all relevant stakeholders, not another avenue for photo ops,” she warned.
Citing a maternal mortality ratio of 801 deaths per 100,000 live births recorded in a three-year study referenced in a Korle-Bu report, Kozie contrasted the figure with four deaths per 100,000 live births recorded in Germany in 2023. She noted that this meant a woman in Ghana was about 50 times more likely to die from maternal causes than a woman in Germany.
She said the stark disparity highlighted the urgent need to strengthen emergency obstetric care and address systemic weaknesses within Ghana’s maternal health system.
“This is a gap that reflects the urgent need to strengthen our emergency obstetric care and maternal health systems,” she stated.
Kozie also renewed her call for a bipartisan parliamentary inquiry into preventable maternal deaths, saying it could complement efforts in the fight by identifying systemic gaps and strengthening accountability.
“I have been calling for a bipartisan parliamentary inquiry into the matter. This tells you that we in the NPP will continue to advocate for initiatives that advances the health, dignity and wellbeing of women and children,” she said.
She emphasised that tackling maternal deaths must be a national effort, calling for collaboration among the Executive, Parliament, health professionals, development partners, civil society organisations and communities.
She said the ultimate objective is to ensure that preventable maternal deaths become a thing of the past.
