Maternal and child health expert and Chief Executive Officer of MamaCare by Racheal, Mrs Racheal Hesse Matey, has warned that unresolved conflicts among obstetric care providers are indirectly contributing to maternal and neonatal deaths.

Speaking at the Annual Health Conference on Maternal and Neonatal Mortality at the Korle-Bu Nursing and Midwifery Training College, she explained that internal disagreements and failure to adhere to agreed protocols among caregivers on duty could result in misdiagnosis, inappropriate interventions and poor coordination, with patients bearing the consequences.

“Sometimes, if there is conflict among the internal people and it is not resolved, the protocols that are supposed to guide us are not followed. This person is saying this, that person is saying that, and we are not coming to one agreement,” she said.

She explained that when staff working the same shift are not on good terms, patient care suffers, stressing that interpersonal conflicts must be resolved promptly.

She therefore called on health facilities and training institutions to prioritise teamwork, communication and conflict resolution as part of efforts to reduce preventable maternal deaths.

Mrs Hesse Matey also underscored the need for midwives to strengthen their professional knowledge and skills to meet the expectations of increasingly informed patients.

“Before they come to the hospital, they know the condition they are going through. Right from pregnancy, the woman is already reading about what is happening from week to week, month to month. So she is well informed. She is even reading about what is going to happen in labour,” she said.

“And if you don't have the knowledge to care for your patients, then we are talking about maternal mortality,” she added.

She further stressed the need for equitable healthcare delivery, insisting that every patient deserves quality care regardless of their social background, financial status, or appearance.

Mrs Hesse Matey also cautioned trainees against excessive use of mobile phones and social media while on duty, stressing that every moment spent with a patient counts.