Tema: Health stakeholders in the Tema Metropolis have called on the Tema General Hospital (TGH) to separate the maternal mortality data of its own patients from those referred from other health facilities. The stakeholders made the call during the Tema Metropolitan Health Directorate's 2025 Performance Review, noting that aggregating all maternal deaths, especially those referred late from other facilities, creates the impression that the referral hospital records disproportionately high maternal deaths.
According to Ghana News Agency, the concern followed the presentation of the hospital's institutional maternal mortality ratio of 208.88 per 100,000 live births in 2025, which remains above the target of 125 per 100,000. Data from the hospital's 2025 Quality Improvement Performance Review showed that maternal mortality increased from 118.06 in 2023 to 231.21 in 2024, before declining slightly to 208.88 in 2025.
A breakdown of the eight recorded maternal deaths showed that Tema General Hospital accounted for two cases, while one case each was referred from Dangme Community Hospital, Community 22 Polyclinic, New Crystal Hospital, Manhean Polyclinic, Zenu Polyclinic, and St Florence Clinic. The causes of death included pulmonary thromboembolism, eclampsia, cardiac arrest resulting from obstetric haemorrhage, multiple organ failure, HELLP syndrome, acute kidney injury, and complications related to sickle cell disease.
The report identified key contributing factors as inadequate intensive care infrastructure, a shortage of skilled personnel, non-functional equipment, delays in clinical decision-making, and late referrals from peripheral facilities. Other factors included poor adherence to treatment protocols and harmful cultural practices that delay timely access to care.
Management indicated that interventions such as the establishment of a High Dependency Unit (HDU), continuous in-service training for health workers, and intensified community education were being implemented to address the situation. The hospital aims to reduce maternal mortality to 180 per 100,000 live births by the end of 2025 through improved quality of care and strengthened health systems.