Beneficiaries of Japanese government-initiated projects in the Ashanti and Central regions have hailed the interventions, describing them as life-saving.

Under the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), a number of health and road projects are being implemented aimed at reducing maternal and neonatal deaths in deprived areas.

Ghana is benefiting from several health interventions from the government of Japan to address gaps in maternal and neonatal health delivery.

One such districts benefiting from the project initiative is the Atwima Kwanwoma District in the Ashanti region which has no public hospital.

The district has received a Japanese Health Volunteer working alongside local health staff.

District health director, Joseph Adomako talks about some of the benefits to the district which recorded two maternal deaths in 2022 against 185 maternal deaths recorded in the entire region in 2022, representing 22 percent of the 875 mortalities recorded nationwide in the year.

“Our indicators in terms of maternal health services are not all that encouraging. Last year, our skill delivery was 33. 1 % and our ANC (Antenatal Clinic) coverage was about 49 per cent. When it comes to the impact of the JICA Volunteer on the service, this may be on the lighter side. You know our children are very attracted to light skin people.  She plays very well with them. When she is doing the weighing, the children do not cry. She carries them on her chest and she does the weighing. She is involved in every activity that we do here.”

The district has also benefitted from the Maternal and Child Health Record Book which contains essential health records and information for both mothers and children.

At the Kumasi South Hospital, which recorded three maternal deaths in 2022, a JICA intervention is helping to improve quality maternal and neonatal care delivery.

With the use of ‘Sort, Set, Shine, Standardise and Sustain (5S) approach, cases are being identified and treated at peripheral health centres.

Dr. Ofori Boadu, the Medical Superintendent said “If you want to fight maternal mortality and then peri-natal, then you don’t have to wait in the hospital waiting for cases to come. Yes, they would come but they would come in a bad state such that it might be practically impossible to save these people. The idea is reach out there; go to the districts, go to the sub-districts train them so that if they need to refer to you, they refer in time,

One key Japanese government support to Ghana is in the rehabilitation of the 91-kilometre Asante Bekwai-Assin Fosu N8 asphalted road.

The first phase of the project saw the 60-kilometre Asante Bekwai-Adansi Praso road rehabilitated in 2013.

The second phase, a 31.2-kilometre Assin Praso-Assin Fosu road at a cost of 50 million US dollars, has seen the road widened and also comes with new asphalting.

Municipal Chief Executive of Assin Fosu, Nicholas Kofi Baako, says the construction would help reduce accidents on the stretch, improve economic activities and beautify the Assin enclave.

“Before the Japanese came with their support, the road was such that we had a lot of accidents; a lot of potholes which sometimes we use to call the manholes. But with the coming in with the support of JICA, I think when you look at what has happened now, we are very gracious to have it.

And it has turned around the economic activities of this municipality. For the first time in Assin Fosu and the three Assins, we are having a roundabout which we didn’t have and that has actually beautified the whole place.”

Visiting JICA officials who were impressed with the life-changing stories associated with JICA initiatives.

A JICA Senior Representative, Oda Ryotaro is happy at the gains made so far.

“I am very impressed because all the Japanese related to these projects are engaging with their full efforts and passion.”

According to him, Japan and Ghana will deepen their relationship.

“We want to deepen further collaboration and cooperation between the Ghanaian government.”

Japan introduced the Tokyo International Conference on Africa (TICAD) 30 years ago to promote peace, security and Africa's development through multilateral cooperation and partnership.