Ghana’s government has reaffirmed its dedication to eradicating preventable maternal deaths as a central pillar of its Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) agenda, with Vice President Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang emphasizing the urgency of action at the launch of the country’s 2025 SDG progress report.
Speaking during the Voluntary National Review (VNR) presentation on July 8, the Vice President reiterated President John Mahama’s pledge to ensure equal access to quality healthcare for all Ghanaians, irrespective of location.
“Of particular relevance was the need to reduce maternal mortality to zero,” she stated in a post shared shortly after the event, underscoring the administration’s commitment to systemic health sector reform.
The SDG review, presented in the presence of key stakeholders from civil society, development agencies, and local communities, comes ahead of Ghana’s upcoming presentation to the United Nations later this year.
It offers a comprehensive evaluation of the country’s progress across key development indicators and identifies areas requiring intensified action.
President Mahama’s administration, which assumed office earlier this year, has made social investment a cornerstone of its governance approach.
Within this framework, maternal health has emerged as a top priority, reflecting both a moral imperative and a strategic goal under the 2030 SDG framework.
The VNR report highlights challenges that remain, particularly in delivering consistent and high-quality maternal care to rural and underserved communities.
However, it also lays out clear strategies to address these gaps, including expanded healthcare infrastructure, workforce training, and the scaling of mobile health services.
Vice President Opoku-Agyemang’s advocacy at the VNR forum reinforces the government’s gender-responsive development strategy, positioning maternal health as a litmus test of national progress.
As Ghana accelerates efforts toward its SDG deadline, the campaign to eliminate maternal mortality is set to become a defining measure of both political will and policy effectiveness.
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