The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has described maternal deaths during childbirth as deeply heartbreaking and called for urgent measures to reduce the incidence across the country.
The Asante monarch stressed that maternal mortality affects entire families and communities, and should not be treated solely as a women’s health issue.
“This does not concern only women; it affects us all. When a woman is in labour, her husband remains restless until she delivers safely. The most heartbreaking experience is to lose a wife during childbirth,” Otumfuo stated.
He identified inadequate antenatal care and delays in seeking medical attention among factors contributing to maternal deaths.
According to the Asantehene, some expectant mothers fail to attend antenatal clinics and instead rely on previous childbirth experiences, a situation that could result in complications going undetected until labour.
“Some expectant mothers fail to attend antenatal care clinics, choosing instead to rely solely on previous birthing experiences. This often leads to undetected complications during labour,” he observed.
Otumfuo therefore called for intensified public education to build confidence in the healthcare system and encourage pregnant women to attend antenatal clinics regularly and seek professional medical care.
He further directed that a comprehensive update on maternal mortality figures across the regions be provided within three months.
The Asantehene’s call follows a report indicating that the Ashanti Region recorded the highest number of maternal deaths in Ghana in 2025.
The Deputy Minister for Health, Dr Grace Ayensu-Danquah, explained that the region’s high figures were partly attributable to critical emergency referrals from neighbouring regions, particularly areas within the Western and Northern belts, to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH).
Dr Ayensu-Danquah disclosed that the government had tasked her with implementing a nationwide Maternal Mortality Action and Response Programme (MMARP) as part of efforts to address the country’s maternal mortality challenge.
She said measures recently introduced in the Ashanti Region had begun producing encouraging results, with the region recording significant improvements over the past three months.
“Out of the five regions we have visited so far, the Ashanti Region is the only one that has successfully implemented emergency measures to drastically reduce maternal mortality rates within three months,” she said.
The Deputy Minister was speaking during a visit to the Manhyia Palace, where she also presented a financial donation in support of the social initiatives of the Otumfuo Osei Tutu II Foundation (OTOTIIF).
Her delegation included the Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr Frank Amoakohene; the UNFPA Country Representative, Dr David Wilfred Ochan; and the Ashanti Regional Health Director, Dr Fred Adomako-Boateng.
The engagement forms part of broader efforts by health authorities and stakeholders to strengthen emergency maternal healthcare, improve antenatal care and reduce preventable maternal deaths in Ghana.