UNFPA Urges Government to Prioritize Rural Health Incentives Under PRIMER Maternal Health Initiative

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is calling for a significant shift in Ghana's healthcare strategy, advocating for enhanced investments in rural human resource retention and domestic financing for family planning. This appeal aligns with the implementation of the Presidential Initiative on Maternal Health Response (PRIMER), a multisectoral five-year program designed to reduce maternal mortality by 20% every year. Ghana currently records approximately 234 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, a figure that remains significantly higher than the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of fewer than 70 deaths by 2030.

Central to the UNFPA's recommendation is the need to address the disparity in healthcare access between urban and rural areas. Dr. Sennen Hounton, the UNFPA Regional Director, emphasized that the success of the PRIMER initiative depends heavily on the availability of trained health professionals and essential critical-care equipment in underserved communities. Currently, the late identification of high-risk pregnancies and inadequate health infrastructure continue to hinder progress. By providing robust incentives for health workers to remain in rural posts, the government can ensure that quality care is accessible to those most at risk, bridging a critical gap in the national health delivery system.

Beyond staffing, the initiative highlights the urgent need for consistent domestic funding for life-saving family planning commodities and community-level social mobilization. Dr. Hounton pointed out that adolescent pregnancies, often exacerbated by the prevalence of child marriage, represent a high-risk category that contributes significantly to the national mortality rate. Strengthening the healthcare system’s readiness to manage these specific cases is viewed as paramount to achieving the initiative's goals. PRIMER seeks to mobilize both public and private sectors to improve service delivery and ensure that maternal survival is treated as a priority.

As Ghana moves forward with this five-year mandate, the UNFPA has pledged its continued support through advocacy and resource mobilization. The focus remains on creating a sustainable framework where maternal survival is prioritized through better healthcare quality and systemic readiness. Meeting the 20% annual reduction target will require a coordinated effort to modernize facilities, empower rural health practitioners, and eliminate the systemic barriers that prevent expectant mothers from receiving timely, life-saving interventions across the country.