The Deputy Minister of Health and Member of Parliament for Essikado-Ketan, Professor Grace Ayensu-Danquah, has received a significant consignment of midwifery training equipment under the Midwifery Education and Practice Centers of Excellence Programme (MEPCEP), aimed at strengthening competency-based training for student midwives across the country.

At a brief handover ceremony in Accra, Prof Ayensu-Danquah described the support as timely, noting that it aligns with Ghana’s ongoing reforms to improve the standards of midwifery training and maternal health services.

“This support comes at a time when we are working to improve the standards of midwifery training across the country. It will go a long way in strengthening the practical competencies of our students,” she said.

The Deputy Minister expressed gratitude to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) for its continued commitment to maternal and newborn health in Ghana, describing the partnership as invaluable.

She emphasised that building a strong midwifery workforce begins with access to quality learning tools and well-resourced training environments.

“We expect that these resources will be used solely for teaching and skills training. Proper records must be maintained to ensure accountability,” she added, urging heads of training institutions to safeguard the equipment and ensure its impact is sustained over time.

Delivering remarks on behalf of the UNFPA, its Country Representative, Dr Wilfred Ochan, announced that the agency had provided midwifery training equipment valued at GH¢2 million, alongside family planning commodities worth GH¢40 million, which are supplied to the Government of Ghana annually.

He described the donation not merely as a transfer of assets, but as “an investment in the hands that will bring lives into the world,” stressing the critical role midwives play in maternal health outcomes.

“Evidence shows that a well-trained and well-supported midwife can provide up to 90% of essential reproductive, maternal, and newborn health services,” Dr Ochan stated.

With midwives conducting about 70% of all deliveries in Ghana, he noted that practical, simulation-based training remains essential to reducing preventable maternal deaths. The donated items include anatomical models, simulation tools, and essential clinical equipment designed to bridge the gap between theory and real-life practice.

UNFPA currently procures 40% of Ghana’s national contraceptive requirements, with USAID previously supplying another 45%. However, he warned that USAID’s withdrawal from contraceptive procurement has created a major supply gap that could worsen the country’s 33% unmet need for family planning.

He appealed to the Government of Ghana to scale up its co-financing commitments under the UNFPA Supplies Partnership to help close the gap.

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