Correspondence from the Bono East Region

The Bono East Regional Health Directorate has intensified efforts to strengthen primary healthcare delivery as part of a broader strategy to reduce maternal mortality in the region.

With some districts still reporting poor outcomes, the directorate is urging a renewed focus on early antenatal care, skilled delivery, and postnatal services to ensure quality and accessible care.

Speaking at the 2025 Health Sector Annual Performance Review, Dr Freeman Samson Samani revealed that maternal mortality in the region in ratio terms increased from 74:100,000 per live births in 2024 to 84:100,000 per live births in 2025, raising serious concern among health authorities.

“For maternal mortality in absolute numbers, we had about 29 maternal deaths or women who died during childbirth, which shows an increment compared to the previous year”.

Dr Samani explained that the region’s focus on improving maternal and newborn health and Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) outcomes through quality and accessible primary healthcare must translate into concrete interventions, especially in underserved communities.

He cited low coverage of skilled delivery services in some districts, the absence of functional referral facilities and the poor state of road networks as key drivers of maternal and neonatal deaths, noting that these problems hinder timely access to healthcare facilities, especially in emergencies.

“Almost all the resources are in Kintampo and Techiman because business thrives here, so the private sector wants to be here, but when you move to the eastern corridor, the facilities are not there, which is impeding quality health care and dealing with maternal mortality”.

On his part, the Bono East Regional Minister, Francis Owusu Antwi, expressed satisfaction with the region’s overall health sector performance, noting that the progress made reflects the collective commitment of health workers, development partners, and government agencies.

He emphasised that the government remains resolute in strengthening the healthcare delivery system, particularly across underserved and hard-to-reach communities, through sustained investment in infrastructure and essential services through the construction of Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compounds to bring quality primary healthcare closer to the people.