How MSI is strengthening midwifery practice in Ghana
New quality standards aim to improve the safety, consistency, and accountability of midwifery services nationwide, with support from MSI Ghana and Global Affairs Canada.
Ghana has taken a significant step towards improving maternal and newborn healthcare through the development and review of a new set of national Quality Standards for Midwifery Practice designed to strengthen the quality, safety, and consistency of care provided to women and newborns across the country.
The initiative was implemented by the Ghana Health Service with funding from Global Affairs Canada through MSI Ghana, who also provided technical and coordination support.
The standards were reviewed during a two-day Technical Working Group meeting convened by the Office of the Director of Nursing and Midwifery Services of the Ghana Health Service in Accra. The meeting brought together experts from the Ministry of Health, Ghana Health Service, Nursing and Midwifery Council, MSI Reproductive Choices Ghana, Jhpiego, and selected healthcare facilities to refine the standards ahead of piloting and national implementation
Although Ghana has made notable progress in improving maternal and newborn health services, maternal and newborn mortality remain important public health challenges. Recent estimates indicate that Ghana’s maternal mortality ratio stands at 234 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, while neonatal mortality remains at 21 deaths per 1,000 live. These figures remain above the Sustainable Development Goal targets of fewer than 70 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births and fewer than 12 neonatal deaths per 1,000 live births by 2030. Midwives are a critical driving force in Ghana’s ability to meet these targets. As the frontline providers of maternal and newborn care, their capacity, competence, and practice standards directly shape health outcomes for women and newborns across the country. Strengthening the quality of care delivered by midwives is therefore critical to accelerating progress towards these national and global goals.
Midwives are often the first and most consistent point of contact for women throughout pregnancy, childbirth, and the postnatal period. Ensuring they are guided by clear, evidence-based, and nationally harmonised standards is essential to delivering safe, respectful, and high-quality care across all levels of the health system.
“While significant investments have been made in maternal and newborn health interventions over the years, the quality and consistency of care remain critical determinants of outcomes. These standards will provide a nationally harmonized framework to strengthen professionalism, accountability, and evidence-based practice across our health facilities.” – Dr. Eva Mensah, Director of Nursing and Midwifery Services, Ghana Health Service
MSI Reproductive Choices Ghana collaborated with the Ghana Health Service Nursing and Midwifery Services Directorate to convene the Technical Working Group meeting. Over the two days, participants conducted a detailed review of all 35 quality standards and accompanying quality statements. Discussions focused on strengthening key areas of midwifery practice, including patient safety, respectful maternity care, emergency preparedness and response, information management, service delivery, quality improvement, and performance monitoring.
A key area of discussion centered on maintaining professional competence throughout a midwife’s career. Participants recommended regular competency assessments, expanded continuous professional development opportunities, and stronger quality assurance systems for clinical educators.
“Maintaining competence is not a one-time activity. Regular assessment, mentorship, and continuous professional development are essential to ensuring that midwives consistently deliver safe and high-quality care throughout their careers.” – Dr. Kwabena Oteng Birimpong, Director of Medical Services, MSI Reproductive Choices Ghana
The meeting concluded with consensus on revisions to the standards and agreement on a roadmap for piloting and national implementation. Tema Urban Hospital was identified as the pilot site for the Quality Standards. Tema Urban Hospital is a major public health facility serving the Tema Metropolitan Area in the Greater Accra Region. It was selected for its high patient volume, its established midwifery workforce, and its strategic position as a key referral facility in one of Ghana’s most populous urban areas, making it an ideal environment to test the standards under real-world conditions. MSI Ghana will work closely with the hospital management and clinical teams to support the roll-out, monitor implementation progress, and document lessons learned to inform broader stakeholder validation and nationwide scale-up.
Once implemented, the Quality Standards for Midwifery Practice are expected to support health facilities in delivering safer, more consistent, and more accountable care, while improving patient experiences and contributing to reductions in preventable maternal and neonatal deaths.
Women and families will benefit from more respectful, evidence-based, and responsive maternity services, while health managers will have clearer benchmarks for monitoring and improving service quality.
The Ghana Health Service expressed appreciation to MSI Ghana and Global Affairs Canada for their valuable support in advancing this important initiative. The partnership reflects a shared commitment to strengthening Ghana’s health system and ensuring that every woman and newborn receives high-quality care.
