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Flooded rivers and failing clinics: Ghana's birth crisis
6 Jun
Summary
- Women in Ghana's Upper East Region face perilous journeys to give birth.
- Maternal health is severely impacted by a lack of basic water and sanitation.
- Declining international aid exacerbates the fragile maternal health situation.
In Ghana's Upper East Region, pregnant women face life-threatening journeys to access maternity care. They navigate flooded paths and rivers, often on foot or by precarious motorcycle rides, to reach clinics that are themselves struggling with a severe lack of water and sanitation. Midwives frequently spend hours fetching water, delaying essential care and increasing infection risks.
The crisis is amplified by substantial cuts to international aid, notably from USAID starting in January 2025, impacting vital community health programs. This reduction in funding exacerbates the already fragile state of maternal health, leaving clinics without basic water and hygiene infrastructure.
Research indicates that improved water, sanitation, and hygiene in Ghanaian health facilities could halve cases and deaths from maternal sepsis. Despite this, 98% of births occur without basic sanitation and a third without water. Projects like WaterAid's 'Good Health Begins Here' aim to install vital infrastructure, but current conditions mean women still arrive at facilities carrying their own water.
