Following a Joy News special assignment documentary, “Next to Die,” by Seth Kwame Boateng the Mother and Baby Unit at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) is living up to its mandate.

The documentary highlighted the needless deaths of mothers and babies at the hospital due to congestion at the unit.

The documentary kick-started a fundraising campaign, spearheaded by First Lady, Rebecca Akufo-Addo, that eventually led to the refurbishment of the unit into an ultramodern facility.

Head of Obstetrics & Gynaecology Department at the hospital, Dr Gerald Owusu Asubonteng told Joy  News that from 2017 to 2018, the facility recorded 135 maternal deaths.

However, mortality figures at the facility dropped significantly after the refurbished unit was handed over to the hospital.

He added that, previously, the hospital had just eight beds at the first stage of labour.

“Now we have 17,” he said.

The recovery area which had only two beds which forced new mothers to make do with the floor now has nine beds.