The Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye has disclosed that maternal mortality, neonatal mortality and under-five mortality had reduced significantly over the years.
He mentioned that Ghana’s institutional maternal mortality had dropped from 875 deaths in 2018 to 809 in 2022.
He explained that although the figure looks small, it was very significant especially when deliveries had increased by 13 per cent from 9,000.
“Our stillbirths have also reduced significantly while the national supply chain system has also improved’’, he added.
Dr Kuma-Aboagye disclosed this when he took his turn to address the media during the Minister’s Press Briefing organised by the Ministry of Information in Accra yesterday.
He stated that there has been an improvement in the public health emergency response system regarding emerging and re-emerging outbreaks such as Marburg, Lassa fever and Yellow Fever.
‘’Currently, we have been to establish E-surveillance which enables us to collect and share information to about 70 per cent of our points across the country to enable them to respond quickly to emergencies and outbreaks at all levels’’, he added.
Recruitment
The Director-General also said that in the last years, the service had recruited more than 33,000 new staff to boost capacity at the half year 2023.
He added that although the service has suffered some brain drain their numbers have not been affected
Yes, we have lost experienced hands and skilled staff but we have also instituted measures to ensure that in the next two years, we replace them through training programmes and recruitment”, Dr. Kuma-Aboagye stated.
He mentioned that last year, the service lost about 525 nurses to brain drain and reiterated that the service has commenced recruitment of nurses across the country.
Source: MOI (PR Unit)
