Ghana has made tremendous progress in reducing neonatal mortality rates from 29 deaths per 1,000 live births (LB) in 2014 to 17 per 1,000 LB in 2023.

This shows commitment towards improving newborn health using a separate national health strategy.

Presently, the Ministry of Health’s sector indicator prioritises neonatal mortality rate and newborn health in the National Committee Strategy, and it is listed among priority sectors of the country’s Universal Health Coverage roadmap.

To achieve optimum impact, some guidelines, manuals, and documents have been produced, and there is now improvement in accountability for newborns through monitoring of institutional care using data and holding annual conferences to deliberate on progress made as well as to consider the way forward.

To ensure these, the Ghana Health Service (GHS), in collaboration with key development partners, has held the 12th Annual Newborn Stakeholders’ Conference on the theme “Improving respiratory care for the newborn within the Network of Practice.”

Dr. Marion Okoh-Owusu, the Director of Family Health at GHS, said the conference aimed to update key policymakers, health managers, frontline workers, development partners, and key stakeholders on the current state of newborn health in Ghana, review strategies and protocols for improving respiratory care for newborns along the continuum of care, and take stock of the implementation of regional and national newborn action plans.

It would also develop annual national and regional plans for implementing newborn programmes in line with the Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health Nutrition (RMNACHN) Strategy and the National Newborn Health Strategy and Action Plan for August 2024 to July 2025.

Dr. Edward Antwi, the Deputy Director of Public Health, Family Health Division, GHS, made a presentation on the state of Ghana’s newborn health, saying that although there had been considerable progress in reducing neonatal mortality, there was still more work to be done to further reduce the rate of neonatal deaths to 12 per 1,000 LB by the year 2030 through preventive strategies.

He said the first 28 days of life (the neonatal period) were crucial for infant survival and ensuring their quality of life, as about 68 percent of deaths occurred during such periods, with 47 percent of others dying before age five years.

He mentioned the common causes of neonatal mortality and morbidity as prematurity, infections, and birth asphyxia (lack of oxygen and blood flow to the brain), which, depending on the severity, a baby could fully recover or suffer permanent brain and organ damage, which could be fatal.

Dr. Antwi said challenges including poor access, funding, and limited human resources in terms of knowledge and skills in newborn care, as well as an infrastructure deficit, were some concerns for urgent redress to enhance newborn safety, survival, and the quality of life of children under five years.

He said the National Newborn Health Strategy was currently being reviewed to extend 2025, with targets including achieving high infection prevention and treatment among newborns and children under five years old.

Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, the Director-General, GHS, in a speech read for him, called for enhanced stakeholder collaboration and sustained efforts to attain Ghana’s Sustainable Development Goals targets of minimising infections and investing in newborn care in all facilities nationwide.

Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye, the Minister of Health, said in a speech read for him that although newborn care had been included in the national development plan and budget, it was not just a goal but also a moral imperative and called for collective efforts to address the challenge of achieving Ghana’s SDG targets by 2030.

The USAID has also been supporting the establishment of oxygen infrastructure, providing feedback and training for neonatal nursing, expanding their Network of Practice (NoP), and working towards strengthening Ghana’s referral systems.

Likewise, UNICEF has been working extremely hard to improve the quality of healthcare for all, especially newborns.

PATH and Kybele, both international health partners, said they had also been working together with GHS to provide training for healthcare workers to improve the quality of healthcare facilities that provide innovations in newborn transport, focusing on collecting accurate data so that the service does not make decisions based on estimated data.