On Monday, October 19, Deputy Health Minister Dr Grace Ayensu‑Danquah appeared before Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee to demand a dedicated budget allocation for maternal healthcare. She warned that without a sustainable domestic funding source, Ghana risks missing its 2030 maternal health targets.
Dr Ayensu‑Danquah said the country’s current reliance on unsustainable funding could undermine efforts to improve maternal health outcomes. “In fact, we need domestic funding to fund our maternal health. So we are pleading with your committee to actually give us a line item in the budget for maternal health. It is only when we have sustainable funding that is domestically funded that we can solve this problem. Otherwise, by 2030, we won’t meet any of these criteria,” she stated.
She highlighted haemorrhage as the leading cause of maternal deaths in Ghana and called for greater attention to early detection and management of health risks during pregnancy, especially anaemia. According to her, detecting anaemia at the primary healthcare level would allow health workers to intervene before delivery and help reduce the risks associated with blood loss during childbirth.
Moving forward, the Deputy Health Minister hopes the committee will support the creation of a specific budget line for maternal health services, ensuring that the country can meet its 2030 targets and reduce preventable maternal deaths.
