By Solomon Gumah
Savelugu, July 17, GNA – The Savelugu Municipal Hospital has recorded significant improvements in maternal and newborn health outcomes, with maternal mortality declining from 84 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2023 to 68 per 100,000 live births in 2025.
The hospital also recorded a reduction in neonatal mortality from 1.4 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2023, to 0.9 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2025, following sustained investments in staff capacity building and medical equipment by the Government of Canada, through Oxfam in Ghana and its implementing partners.
Dr Osman Mohammed, the Medical Superintendent, Savelugu Municipal Hospital announced the achievements during a ceremony at Savelugu to receive medical equipment, essential medicines and health commodities donated by Oxfam in Ghana under the Power to Choose project, funded by the Government of Canada.
He said the partnership between the hospital and Oxfam in Ghana, which began in January 2024, had focused on strengthening maternal, newborn, adolescent and sexual and reproductive healthcare services through continuous capacity building for health workers.
Dr Mohammed said four batches of hospital staff comprising 16 health professionals had been trained in emergency obstetric and newborn care, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and adolescent and youth-friendly health services.
He said regular monitoring and technical support from Oxfam in Ghana had reinforced the training and contributed significantly to improvements in the quality of maternal and newborn healthcare delivery at the hospital.
Dr Mohammed said data from the District Health Information Management System, showed that the hospital recorded 1,518 deliveries during the first four months of 2026, making it one of the busiest maternity facilities in the Northern Region, with only the Tamale Teaching Hospital and Tamale West Hospital recording slightly higher numbers over the same period.
He said the increasing number of deliveries had put enormous pressure on the hospital’s limited infrastructure and medical equipment, making the donation timely and critical to improving service delivery.
Dr Mohammed assured the donors that the equipment would be properly maintained and used for its intended purpose to improve quality healthcare for women, newborns and adolescents.
Mr Mohammed Mahamud, the Accountable Governance Programme and Policy Manager at Oxfam in Ghana, said the Power to Choose project was being implemented in five regions and covering eight selected health facilities including the Savelugu Municipal Hospital to improve access to inclusive, gender-responsive and accountable sexual and reproductive health services.
GNA
Edited by Eric K Amoh/ Christabel Addo
Writer’s Email: [email protected]