The Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) has announced a remarkable 30% decline in institutional maternal deaths for the first time in a decade, a significant improvement that underscores the hospital’s dedication to maternal health and safety within Ghana. The hospital recorded 55 maternal deaths between January and June 2026, down from 78 during the same period in 2025, representing a reduction of approximately 30 per cent. This represents a substantial achievement, as Dr Paa Kwesi Baidoo, Chief Executive Officer, described the development as a ‘significant improvement, stressing that no woman should die from pregnancy-related complications.’
The reduction is attributed in part to the operationalization of KATH’s Maternal Intensive Care Unit (MICSU), supported by specialized anaesthesia and intensive care physicians. The MICSU currently houses eight beds, though four are currently operational. Dr. Baidoo highlighted that the unit’s enhanced capacity is a key component of the strategy.
KATH has also strengthened its collaboration with the Ashanti Regional Health Directorate of the Ghana Health Service, providing clinical mentorship and capacity-building support to health facilities throughout the region. This initiative is designed to elevate the quality of clinical care and referrals, particularly for women requiring specialized maternal services. The hospital historically recorded a high number of maternal deaths, partly due to its role as a major referral center for patients from across the Ashanti Region and beyond. Dr. Baidoo stated that the figures should not be interpreted as an indication of poor quality care, given the large number of patients and complex cases referred to the hospital.
Furthermore, KATH completed work on its Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Centre, which is expected to become operational this month. The facility will make KATH the first public health facility in Ghana to operate a state-of-the-art specialist fertility center. Dr. Baidoo emphasized that the hospital’s main Dialysis Centre has also undergone refurbishment and has been reopened to expand access to specialist dialysis services.
The hospital’s main Dialysis Centre has also undergone refurbishment and has been reopened to expand access to specialist dialysis services. It currently has 13 functioning dialysis machines, with additional machines available at the Accident and Emergency Centre. Between January and June 2026, KATH recorded 149,055 attendances at its Specialist Out-Patient Department, exceeding its mid-year target of 139,740. The figure also represented a 3.61 per cent increase compared with the same period in 2025. Emergency attendance reached 14,467, against a target of 12,400, representing an 116.67 per cent achievement and a 8.66 per cent year-on-year increase. Laboratory services recorded 174,367 cases, exceeding the target of 160,401 by 108.71 per cent and representing a 26.49 per cent increase over the previous year’s mid-year figure.
The hospital’s primary care attendance stood at 37,500, slightly below the target of 37,900. Dr. Baidoo acknowledged that some areas of the hospital’s operations required further attention, noting that performance in deliveries, surgeries, physiotherapy, radiotherapy, and some admission figures fell below targets set for the first half of the year. The hospital says it will focus on these areas while sustaining the gains recorded in maternal care and other specialist services.
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Source: MyJoyOnline
