BY ISSAH OLEGOR
A maternal and child health expert has warned that unresolved conflicts among healthcare providers, poor teamwork and failure to follow established medical protocols are contributing to preventable maternal and neonatal deaths in Ghana.
Ms. Racheal Hesse Matey, CEO of MamaCare by Racheal, said disagreements among obstetric care providers could disrupt clinical decisions, lead to misdiagnosis and result in inappropriate interventions, ultimately putting the lives of pregnant women and their babies at risk.
Speaking at the Annual Health Conference, which discussed maternal and neonatal mortality, medical negligence, health law, professionalism and ethics, she stressed that disagreements among healthcare professionals must be addressed promptly to prevent them from compromising patient care.
According to her, situations in which caregivers on the same shift disagree without reaching a common understanding can undermine the protocols intended to guide treatment and emergency response.
“Sometimes, if there is conflict among the internal people and it is not resolved, the protocols that are supposed to guide us are not followed. This person is saying this, that person is saying that, and we are not coming to one agreement,” she said.
Ms. Hesse Matey explained that when midwives, nurses and other healthcare professionals fail to work together effectively, the consequences can extend beyond workplace tensions to affect the health and survival of mothers and newborns.
She therefore called on health facilities to strengthen teamwork, communication and conflict-resolution mechanisms, arguing that professional disagreements should never be allowed to interfere with the quality of care provided to patients.
Midwives urged to upgrade knowledge
The maternal health expert also called on midwives to continuously update their professional knowledge and translate their training into practical skills to help reduce maternal and neonatal mortality.
She observed that pregnant women are increasingly informed about their health conditions, with many researching the different stages of pregnancy, possible complications and what to expect during labour before visiting health facilities.
“Before they come to the hospital, they know the condition they are going through. Right from pregnancy, the woman is already reading about what is happening from week to week, month to month. So she is well informed. She is even reading about what is going to happen in labour,” she said.
Ms. Hesse Matey warned that a gap between a healthcare provider’s knowledge and a patient’s understanding could create serious challenges, particularly when the provider lacks the competence required to identify complications and respond appropriately.
She emphasised that professional training should not be viewed merely as a means of passing examinations but as preparation for the practical responsibility of protecting the lives of mothers and their babies.
“And if you don’t have the knowledge to care for your patients, then we are talking about maternal mortality. So it’s very important that midwives out there, when they are coming, it’s not just to pass your exams, but you are indeed coming to put to practice whatever knowledge you have acquired. And it doesn’t end after the training,” she stressed.
She urged midwives to embrace continuous professional development and ensure that their clinical practice reflects the knowledge and skills acquired during training.
Phone use on wards raises concerns
Ms. Hesse Matey further cautioned midwives and other healthcare workers against excessive mobile phone use and spending time on social media while attending to patients.
She maintained that healthcare professionals must remain attentive to mothers and newborns under their care, particularly because medical emergencies can develop rapidly and require immediate intervention.
“Their time with their patients should be valued when they are on the ward, and not to spend so much time on their phones. When you are with your patients, with the mother and the baby, the less chance you are losing either of them,” she said.
She called on tutors, ward in-charges and clinical supervisors to enforce professional standards regarding mobile phone use during working hours.
She also urged training institutions to instill patient-centred care, discipline and professional responsibility in midwifery students before they enter clinical practice.
Specialist questions persistent maternal deaths
Meanwhile, specialist obstetrician-gynaecologist at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr. Elikem Oklu, has questioned why women continue to die from preventable causes despite Ghana’s existing medical knowledge, drugs, expertise and healthcare facilities.
Speaking at the same conference, Dr. Oklu argued that the country’s challenge was not simply a lack of medical knowledge or resources, but the failure of some healthcare professionals to translate what they know into effective action when treating patients.
“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,” he said.
He challenged nurses and midwives to demonstrate their competence in actual clinical situations rather than merely displaying theoretical knowledge.
Using postpartum haemorrhage—excessive bleeding after childbirth—as an example, Dr. Oklu warned that a healthcare professional’s ability to explain the condition academically would mean little if that knowledge could not be applied effectively to save a woman experiencing the complication.
He stressed that time is critical in obstetric emergencies, where delays in recognising complications, making decisions or initiating treatment can have serious consequences.
