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The Cape Coast Teaching Hospital despite making strides in quality health care services, continue to battle with high maternal and neonatal mortalities with fluctuating ratios.
According to Dr Eric Kofi Ngyedu, the Chief Executive Officer of the referral health facility in the Central region, maternal mortality ratio stood at 863 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2024. That indicated that for every 100,000 live births, 863 mothers died due to complications related to pregnancy or childbirth.
It also recorded a neonatal mortality rate of 40 deaths per 1,000 live births which indicated for every 1,000 newborns, 40 died within the first 28 days of life. The ratios reflect the risk of maternal death relative to the number of live births and the risk of death for new-borns during that critical period.
Dr Eric Kofi Ngyedu, the Chief Executive Officer of the facility said it was a sad spectacle despite efforts to strengthen quality clinical care and resources, training, access to care and community engagements. He was speaking at the facility’s 2024 annual performance review in Cape Coast on the theme: “Advancing care with a resilient system and effective stakeholders’ engagements.“
The major causes of the sad phenomenon were linked to the broader issues of pregnancy complications and neonatal sepsis. Similarly, Dr Ngyedu mentioned the lack of a standardised neonatal intensive care unit as troubling to neonatal care management.
“It will interest you to know that our facility does not have a standard Neonatal Intensive Care Unit to provide the needed quality health care to neonates. “Management has solicited support from various institutions and organisations but no positive response has been received so far,” Dr Ngyedu said.
He mentioned other challenges including payments of high utilities, payment of 13th months’ salary, illegal sale and development and encroachment of hospital lands, inadequate and aging equipment, vehicles, and staff accommodation. Despite those challenges, he affirmed the facility’s resolve to go all out to ensure the delivery of quality health care services and improve key performance indicators.
He committed management of the facility to setting up a provident fund and a credit union to support staff’s financial needs and improve corporate governance. Mr Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, the Minister of Health in a speech read on his behalf, highly praised the facility for gains over the years, particularly clinical investigations rehabilitation services in MRI, CT scanning, haematology, physiotherapy, and psychology.
He assured of government’s commitment to improve the welfare of health personnel and a comprehensive heath strategy to expand infrastructure and foster innovation to achieve the universal health coverage indicator. The Cape Coast Teaching Hospital (CCTH) is a tertiary healthcare facility that has undergone several expansions and upgrades, including the addition of new facilities and equipment.
In 2015, the hospital was upgraded to a Teaching Hospital status, becoming one of the few teaching hospitals in Ghana. The facility seeks to provide high-quality, patient-centered healthcare services, while also promoting medical education, research, and community health. It is envisioned to become a centre of excellence in healthcare delivery, medical education, and research, while also improving the health and well-being of the people of Ghana and beyond.
Source:GNA
