Health professionals urged to translate medical knowledge into practice to save mothers

Obstetrician-gynaecologist Dr Elikem Oklu has raised concerns about the continued loss of mothers and newborns to preventable causes, saying gaps between medical knowledge and clinical practice remain a challenge in Ghana’s healthcare system. Speaking at an annual health conference at the Korle Bu Nursing and Midwifery Training College, he questioned why maternal and neonatal deaths persist despite the availability of medical expertise, drugs and health facilities. “Why are women still dying in the midst of all this knowledge? It's because for most of us, we do not make a connection between what we know and what we do,” Dr Oklu said. His comments come as Ghana continues to grapple with maternal mortality and concerns about the quality of care provided to pregnant women and nursing mothers. Figures from the Ministry of Health put Ghana’s maternal mortality ratio at approximately 234 deaths per 100,000 live births, while institutional maternal deaths stood at 965 in 2025.