The Upper East Region recorded 60 maternal deaths in 2025, a development the Ghana Health Service (GHS) has described as alarming and requiring urgent collective action.
The Regional Director of Health Services, Dr. Barimah Baba Abubakari, disclosed this during the commissioning of a new National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) office at Nangodi in the Nabdam District.
According to him, maternal mortality remains one of the most pressing public health challenges confronting the region, despite ongoing interventions aimed at improving access to quality healthcare.
Dr. Abubakari stressed that the rising number of maternal deaths cannot be addressed by the health sector alone, calling for the active involvement of all stakeholders, including husbands, families, traditional leaders, and community members.
He emphasised the need for improved home-based care, early antenatal attendance, and prompt decision-making when complications arise during pregnancy and childbirth.
“The loss of sixty women to maternal deaths in a single year is unacceptable. This situation demands serious attention from everyone—not only health professionals, but also husbands, families, and the entire community,” he said.
Dr. Abubakari also highlighted the critical shortage of medical personnel in the region, describing it as a major obstacle to achieving universal health coverage.
He revealed that out of 35 medical officers posted to the Upper East Region, only six have reported for duty, and even among them, only one doctor has accepted posting to a district hospital.
This situation, he noted, places immense pressure on the few available health workers and undermines efforts to deliver timely and effective healthcare services, particularly in rural and hard-to-reach communities.
“The doctor-to-patient ratio remains a serious challenge. When health professionals decline postings—especially to district hospitals—it becomes extremely difficult to provide the level of care our people deserve,” Dr. Abubakari said, calling for innovative measures to attract and retain health workers in the region.
Touching on the significance of the newly commissioned NHIS office, Dr. Abubakari noted that it would improve access to health insurance services, reduce travel time for residents, and enhance healthcare utilisation in the Nabdam District.
In his remarks, the Member of Parliament for the Nabdam Constituency, Dr. Mark-Kurt Nawaane, reaffirmed his commitment to improving healthcare delivery in the region.
Dr. Nawaane, who also chairs Parliament’s Select Committee on Health, said he is working to ensure that the Upper East Region receives its fair share of healthcare infrastructure, personnel, and logistics.
He underscored the government’s commitment to achieving universal access to basic healthcare in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 3, which seeks to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all.
“Universal access to basic healthcare is a key priority for government, and we are determined to meet these targets before 2030,” he said.
While stakeholders welcomed the commissioning of the NHIS office as a step forward, they stressed that tackling maternal mortality and addressing staffing shortages must remain a top priority.
Source: A1 Radio | 101.1 Mhz | Moses Apiah | Nabdam
