The Smartest Ways to Save Lives
Infant and maternal mortality are important indicators of a nation’s wellbeing and the overall quality of its health system. Over the last three decades, Ghana has achieved much improved primary care for mothers and children, but mortality rates are still significantly higher than the targets of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Most deaths that occur during the first days or months of life could be avoided. Complications caused by pre-term birth and infections are among the largest causes of mortality in the first month, and children under five are most vulnerable to preventable diseases such as malaria, pneumonia and diarrhea. Most maternal deaths due to infections, high blood pressure and complications related to birth could also be averted. However, remote rural areas often lack basic health care coverage and expanding new initiatives is costly. How can decision-makers reduce these risks, while using limited resources in the smartest way possible?