The Deputy Minister of Health, Dr. Grace Ayensu-Danquah, has intensified efforts to tackle maternal mortality and strengthen emergency healthcare delivery in the Northern Region as part of government efforts to ensure a healthy society for a prosperous nation.

The Deputy Minister last week undertook a series of community engagements and support for specialised nursing training programmes in the region under the government's Maternal Mortality Action and Response Programme (MMARP).

The programme is an initiative aimed at reducing preventable maternal deaths through closer collaboration between health authorities, traditional leaders and local communities.

During the second day of her tour, Dr Ayensu-Danquah visited Adibo and Gbungbaliga in the Yendi Municipality, where she met community leaders, inspected healthcare facilities and listened to concerns from residents about persistent gaps in maternal healthcare services.

As part of the visit, she paid a courtesy call on the Paramount Chief of the Gbungbaliga Traditional Area, Naa Bapri Gbungbal-Naa Abdallah Abudu Sulemana, and toured the Adibo Health Centre, the Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compound, and the Yendi Municipal Hospital.

The engagements sought to identify local challenges contributing to maternal deaths and strengthen grassroots support for government interventions.

Government commitment

Addressing residents and community elders, Dr Ayensu-Danquah assured them that the Ministry of Health and the government remained committed to addressing urgent healthcare needs, particularly those affecting pregnant women and newborns.

She announced that under the government's Free Primary Health Care initiative, community health workers equipped with mobile health backpacks would regularly visit homes and communities to provide essential maternal and child healthcare services.

According to the Deputy Minister, the outreach programme is expected to bring healthcare closer to vulnerable populations, especially women in remote communities who often face barriers in accessing medical care during pregnancy and childbirth.

She also encouraged households to adopt healthy and nutritious diets using locally available foods, stressing that proper nutrition plays a critical role in improving maternal and child health outcomes.

Traditional authorities used the opportunity to highlight several challenges confronting healthcare delivery in the area.

Commendation

The Paramount Chief commended the Deputy Minister for engaging directly with traditional leaders and residents, describing the visit as evidence of the government's commitment to bringing healthcare solutions closer to communities.

He, however, appealed for additional health workers, expansion of existing facilities, staff accommodation, transportation for outreach programmes, reliable drug supplies and backup power systems for the Adibo Health Centre and Gbungbaliga CHPS compound.

Beyond maternal health, Dr Ayensu-Danquah also used her Northern Region visit to champion efforts aimed at improving Ghana's emergency healthcare workforce.

At the Nurses' and Midwives' Training College (NMTC) in Tamale, she welcomed 49 students admitted into the institution's newly established Bachelor of Science in Emergency Nursing Programme, the first cohort of what school authorities describe as a pioneering initiative to enhance emergency care in the country.

She reminded students at the matriculation ceremony of the critical role they would play in saving lives.

"Your clients are waiting for you at the door of every emergency room in this country," she told the students, urging them to prepare for the demands of delivering life-saving care.

She described the programme as a major milestone under the government's Reset Agenda and the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, popularly known as Mahama Cares, which seeks to strengthen Ghana's healthcare system through specialised training and improved health services.

She called on the students to uphold high ethical standards, discipline and dedication throughout their training, noting that emergency nursing requires quick decision-making, technical expertise and empathy.

Principal of NMTC Tamale, Dr. Abdulai Abdul-Malik, welcomed the pioneer students and encouraged them to pursue academic excellence while developing the integrity and practical skills needed to become effective emergency nursing professionals.

The deputy minister's engagements come as the Ministry of Health also conducts an orientation programme in Tamale for advisory board members of health training institutions. The programme, held under the theme, "Effective Governance, Role Clarity and Collaboration between Management and Advisory Boards of Health Training Institutions," is aimed at strengthening institutional leadership and improving the quality of health training across the country.

Together, the maternal health outreach, emergency nursing programme and governance reforms reflect broader government efforts to improve healthcare delivery and build a stronger health workforce capable of responding to Ghana's evolving healthcare needs.