Dr Fred Adomako-Boateng, the Ashanti Regional Director of Health Services, has called for stronger collaboration among health stakeholders to tackle rising maternal mortality in the region.

He said the growing contribution of deaths from multiple sources, including public, private, and quasi-government facilities, underscored the urgent need for integration and coordinated action.

Speaking at the 2025 Health Sector Performance Review meeting in Kumasi, on the theme “Free Primary Healthcare: Closing the Equity Gaps and Accelerating Universal Health Coverage,” Dr Adomako-Boateng noted that the institutional maternal mortality ratio in the region had worsened over the past five years.

He said the ratio increased from 132 per 100,000 live births in 2021 to 179 per 100,000 live births in 2025, despite ongoing interventions.

Dr Adomako-Boateng explained that a deeper analysis of the 2025 data revealed a complex pattern of contributions to maternal deaths, cutting across different levels of the health system.

Facilities under the Ghana Health Service in the Ashanti region accounted for a significant proportion of the deaths, while facilities outside the region, private health institutions, and faith-based facilities also contributed notably.

“Maternal mortality is no longer an issue confined to a single facility or sector.

The data shows that we must work together across all levels – public, private, and mission facilities to effectively address it,” he stressed.

Dr Adomako-Boateng stated that even among women who accessed antenatal care and delivered in major referral facilities such as the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, maternal deaths were still being recorded, pointing to systemic gaps that required collective action.

He further indicated that, when data from facilities outside the main referral centres were considered, contributions from regional health facilities, CHAG institutions, and private providers remained substantial, reinforcing the need for better coordination in referral systems, case management, and data sharing.

The Regional Director also raised concerns about declining skilled delivery coverage, which dropped from 61 per cent in 2021 and 2022 to 55 per cent in 2025, describing it as a worrying trend that could further worsen maternal health outcomes if not addressed collaboratively.

He noted that, while indicators such as neonatal mortality showed some improvement, maternal health outcomes required urgent and unified attention.

Dr Adomako-Boateng said the region would, as part of the review process, outline targeted strategies to address the challenge, including strengthening partnerships, improving referral systems, and enhancing the capacity of lower-level facilities.

He urged all stakeholders to prioritise integration and teamwork in implementing interventions to enable the achievement of meaningful progress in reducing maternal mortality in the Ashanti Region.