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Ghana

Ghana has made significant strides in maternal and newborn health while facing ongoing challenges. With a maternal mortality ratio of approximately 263.1 deaths per 100,000 live births and a neonatal mortality rate of approximately 21.1 deaths per 1,000 live births, the country shows both progress and persistent needs. Ghana's national health insurance scheme has helped reduce financial barriers to maternal care, covering approximately 80% of the population, though informal payments sometimes create additional obstacles. The Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) program has expanded access to basic services in rural areas, bringing maternal care closer to communities. Ghana has successfully increased skilled birth attendance rates to around 79% through its focus on training midwives and expanding facility-based deliveries. However, significant urban-rural disparities persist, and the quality of care varies widely between regions, with the northern regions facing particular challenges in healthcare worker retention and facility readiness. Recent initiatives focus on strengthening emergency referral systems through dedicated maternal ambulances and improving respectful maternity care to address negative experiences that deter facility usage.

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33.8M

Total Population (2023)

3.5

Total Fertility Rate (2023)

21.1

Newborn Mortality Rate per 1k births (2022)

37/163

Rank - Newborn Mortality (2022)

263

Maternal Mortality per 100k births (2020)

78.0

Adolescent Birth Rate per 1k girls aged 15-19

24%

women using modern contraception age 15-49

77.9%

Facility deliveries (2016-2021)

Newborn survival is a global priority

Whether a newborn survives still greatly depends on where they are born. Over 90 percent of newborn deaths occur in Africa and Asia combined, while the risk for babies born in low-income countries is 11 times higher than babies born in high-income countries. Globally, survival rates are improving, but most countries are still falling short of the Sustainable Development Goal of less than 12 newborn deaths for every 1,000 live births.

HNN features data, resources, and knowledge from every country, as every country can be doing more to ensure newborn and maternal survival. Visit our Data page and search our database for more country-specific data.