Ghana

In Ghana, approximately half of all mothers give birth without the benefit of a doctor, midwife, or even an entry-level nurse. And when complications occur, many mothers literally bleed to death.

Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) - or excessive bleeding after child birth - does not get much press in the US because it is rarely fatal. But in settings like sub-Saharan Africa, PPH is the leading cause of maternal death.

Three tiny tablets offer a solution...

VSI is leading efforts to bring misoprostol tablets to Ghana to stem the tide of preventable maternal deaths. In September 2008, the Food and Drugs Board of Ghana took the important policy step of registering misoprostol for obstetric use, including postpartum hemorrhage, one of the leading causes of maternal mortality in the country. Beyond this key policy move, in October 2009, the Ministry of Health approved National Safe Motherhood Protocols which enable the use of misoprostol for management of PPH by community-level providers, bringing access closer to women in the village.

VSI and the Ghana Health Service are introducing misoprostol to prevent excessive bleeding after childbirth at the community-level in four diverse districts in Ghana. Tapping into the robust midwifery networks in Ghana, our program is training nurses and midwives to provide the tablets to pregnant women at prenatal visits in the event they cannot make it back to a health facility when it comes time to deliver.

VSI collaborates with the R3M Program (Reducing Maternal Morbidity and Mortality), a partnership of Population Council, EngenderHealth, Marie Stopies International, Ipas and the Willows Foundation in Ghana.

By the Numbers

Estimated Total Population

23.8 M

Lifetime Risk of Maternal Death

1 woman in 66

Maternal Mortality Ratio

350 per 100,000 live-births

Total Fertility Rate

4.0

Births Attended by Skilled Health Provider

57%

Unmet Need for Family Planning

34%

Source: PRB, 2011 and WHO, 2010