Ghana has launched the Presidential Initiative on Maternal Health Emergency Response (PRIMER) as part of renewed efforts to reduce maternal mortality and improve access to quality maternal healthcare across the country.
The five-year multisectoral initiative was officially launched by Vice President Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang on behalf of President John Dramani Mahama under the theme, “No Woman Should Die While Giving Life.”
The PRIMER initiative seeks to ensure that women receive timely and quality healthcare before pregnancy, during childbirth and after delivery, while strengthening Ghana’s emergency response systems for maternal health.
Speaking at the launch, the Vice President said Ghana’s maternal mortality rate remains significantly higher than the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of fewer than 70 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030.
She stressed the need for stronger emergency preparedness, improved healthcare quality, efficient transportation and communication systems, as well as better coordination among health facilities to prevent avoidable maternal deaths.
According to her, maternal health in Ghana requires a coordinated approach involving not only the health sector but also other institutions and stakeholders.
The initiative will therefore bring together government ministries, public institutions, local authorities, traditional and religious leaders, civil society organisations, private sector actors and local communities to tackle challenges affecting maternal survival.
These challenges include poor transportation networks, road conditions, access to water and energy, communication difficulties and other social and infrastructural barriers that can delay access to emergency maternal healthcare.
Maternal Mortality Remains a Major Concern
Deputy Minister for Health, Hon. Prof. Grace Ayensu-Danquah, disclosed that the Ministry of Health has incorporated its Maternal Mortality Action and Response Programme (MMARP) into PRIMER as the initiative’s fifth pillar.
The integration is expected to provide PRIMER with a dedicated clinical and operational component focused on reducing maternal deaths and strengthening emergency care.
Prof. Ayensu-Danquah revealed that Ghana’s current maternal mortality ratio is approximately 234 deaths per 100,000 live births, while institutional maternal deaths reached 965 in 2025.
She explained that many of the recorded maternal deaths involved women who had been referred from lower-level healthcare facilities.
Among the major challenges identified were delays in detecting high-risk pregnancies, difficulties with emergency referrals, inadequate critical-care equipment and limited access to blood and other essential medical supplies.
PRIMER to Strengthen Emergency Maternal Healthcare
Under PRIMER, the MMARP component will focus on improving primary healthcare, maternal referrals and emergency response systems to ensure pregnant women receive timely medical attention.
The programme aims to achieve a 20 percent annual reduction in maternal mortality over the next three years, making it a key component of Ghana’s strategy to improve maternal and reproductive healthcare.
Vice President Opoku-Agyemang called on healthcare professionals, communities, traditional and religious leaders, development partners and government institutions to work together to improve maternal health outcomes.
She also urged women and families to seek medical care early during pregnancy and to respond quickly when complications arise.
The government says the successful implementation of PRIMER will require sustained collaboration across sectors to ensure that women have access to quality healthcare and emergency interventions throughout pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period.
The initiative is expected to strengthen Ghana’s efforts to reduce maternal mortality, improve pregnancy care and ensure safer childbirth for women across the country.
Source: newsthemegh.com