The Ministry of Health has kicked off the first-ever Midwives Innovation Hackathon as part of a national initiative to reduce maternal and newborn fatalities.
This initiative brought together midwives, healthcare professionals, academics, researchers, and students to develop practical and scalable solutions that can improve maternal and neonatal healthcare throughout the nation.
This event is intended to spark creative solutions that will enhance the health outcomes for mothers and newborns across the country by turning real-world challenges into actionable strategies.
Estel Ruth Opoku, who leads the Midwifery Unit at the Training and Capacity Development Division of the Ministry, mentioned in an interview that Ghana has not yet achieved the World Health Organization’s goal of lowering maternal mortality to 70 deaths per 100,000 live births.
She revealed that around 900 women died between January and November this year, highlighting the need for focused interventions.
She pointed out that midwives play a crucial role in enhancing maternal health, newborn care, and sexual and reproductive health services.
By equipping them with improved skills and opportunities to innovate, she believes that preventable deaths can be significantly reduced.
The hackathon is aimed at leveraging their knowledge and transforming promising ideas into viable, sustainable solutions.
Opoku referred to the event as a significant beginning, mentioning that the Ministry intends to roll out more programs to tackle ongoing issues in maternal and newborn care.
The Minister of Health is anticipated to announce further initiatives in the upcoming weeks.
Desmond Boateng, Chief Director of the Ministry of Health, encouraged participants to think creatively and collaborate extensively, reaffirming the Ministry’s dedication to fostering innovation that improves healthcare delivery.
Positioned as a catalyst for creative problem-solving, the hackathon aims to improve outcomes for mothers and newborns nationwide by transforming on-the-ground challenges into practical interventions.