Maternal deaths at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi reduced marginally last year.
The hospital recorded a total of 108 maternal deaths as against 126 recorded in 2013.
The institutional maternal mortality rate has therefore dropped from 1130.55 per 100,000 live births in 2013 to 1087.18 per 100,000 live births in 2014.
According to the Chief Executive Officer of the hospital, Dr Joseph Akpaloo, the reduction was a very remarkable achievement.
Interventions Speaking at the performance review workshop of the hospital in Kumasi yesterday, Dr Akpaloo attributed the achievement to the establishment of a mini-intensive care unit at the Obstetrics and Gynaecology (O&G) Directorate.
Additionally, some specialists and consultants in the directorate have been attached to the leading peripheral health facilities in Brong Ahafo, Central, Western and Eastern regions to ease the pressure on KATH, he said.
Dr Akpaloo explained that arrangement to have some of the specialists attached to health facilities in the other regions formed part of the hospital’s initiatives under the Maternal Accelerated Framework (MAF) programme of the Ministry of Health designed to tackle the unacceptably high maternal mortality rates in the country.
He was hopeful that the early completion of the hospital's 38-year-old Maternal and Children's Block would further contribute to reducing the mortality rates.
Performance Dr Akpaloo said in spite of the financial challenges that faced the hospital as a result of the delays in the payment of the National Health Insurance Scheme claims by the National Health Insurance Authority, "I am happy to report that the performance of the hospital in the year under review has been satisfactory."
According to Dr Akpaloo, the hospital had awarded a contract for the construction of a 134-bed hostel to provide comfortable and safe accommodation for relatives of patients who would visit them. The project, which is estimated at GH¢848,000, is being executed under a Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) arrangement.
Expenditure Dr Akpaloo said the hospital spent an average of GH¢299,000 on electricity bills. It also incurred expenses to the tune of GH¢141,000 in purchasing fuel to power its generating sets during power outages.
Those expenses, he said, could not be paid through the hospital's internally-generated funds hence the need for “adoption of smart management practices to help keep the hospital afloat".
He, therefore, asked all units and directorates to "make conscious efforts to secure donations and partnerships from philanthropists and corporate organisations to help improve their operations.
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