According to a 2019 study, access to maternal healthcare services remains a major development challenge globally and in Africa.

Some of the causes include busy work schedules impending antenatal services, financial constraints, lack of education.

In a move to bridge the gap of inequality in the healthcare distribution in the provision of antenatal care for pregnant women and children, Woman360 was launched.

The event was which was held at the Nyarkoa Clinic in Accra August 19, 2020, saw the public enlightened on the novelty and its commitment towards ensuring that health personnel attend to pregnant women to early detect and prevent risk conditions all throughout the period of labor.

The franchise is geared towards rolling out standardised model of maternal care with quality and peace of mind to bring antennal service to the doorstep of clients.

On maternal mortality, Ghana in 2018 recorded 128 deaths per 100,000 live births as against 144 per the same number of deliveries in 2017.

Despite the slight increase, it still falls short of global targets for reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health targets to reach a maternal mortality rate (MMR) of 70 per 100,000 live births by 2030.

Chief Executive of Nyarkoa Clinic, Dr Charles Brew Longdon explained that the new franchise will be critical to the holistic wellbeing of the mother from the stage of pregnancy through to the delivery.

“Each stage of maternal care should be a positive experience in ensuring women and their babies reach their full potential in health and wellness.”

According to him, the clinic through this initiative is committed to providing high end quality healthcare to outliers.

He emphasised the franchise has expanded to encapsulate maternal and child care in the bid to improve the lives of the parties.

Out of over 300,000 women who died in 2015 globally as a result of pregnancy related causes, 64 percent of these deaths occurred in Africa.

The CEO further explained that the spoke is open to collaborating with stakeholders to ensure the effective development of children.

Meanwhile, a personnel with the Municipal Health Directorate at the Klottey Korle District, Dora Cobbina reiterated the essence of comprehensive health care in the country.

The Sustainable Development Goals have targeted a reduction in global maternal global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100 000 live births by the year 2030.

On the back of this, Mrs Cobbina believes the establishment will go a long way to reduce many complications including pregnancy induced hypertension, anemia among others.

“Improving the health of women in their reproductive stage as well as children will see to saving the lives of more than half a million of these category of people who die as part of complications of pregnancy and childbirth teach year,” she added.

She also commended the team for the conception of the Woman360 idea and the decision to see to bringing antenatal healthcare to then doorstep of women.

Country Director for Pharm Access International, Dr Maxwel Antwi said a structured high quality antenatal care is critical in reducing the country’s high mortality rate.

Dr Antwi further explained that we are also doing this to “use this to development the private health sector.”

Medical Director of the Airport Women’s Hospital, Dr Paul Ennin said “the whole idea about antenatal care is to pick up supervised women’s pregnancies to pick up abnormalities early, deal with it and be able to offer the woman safe environment and a safe delivery.”

Managing Director of the Resolve Medical Services, Dr Padi Ayertey said Women360 “wishes to bring antenatal service the doorsteps of the clients at the quality that they are used to at the hospital that they typically go to.”

The project is available in the Greater Accra Region currently with plans to expand in the future.