Sunday, 13 September 2026

Ghana’s news, on the hour · Est. 2026

Sunday, 13 September 2026

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Ghanaian press · Person

Dr. Grace Ayensu Danquah

Also known as: Dr. Ayensu-Danquah · Dr. Grace Ayensu-Danquah · Grace Ayensu-Danquah · Dr Grace Ayensu-Danquah · Dr Ayensu-Danquah · Dr. Ayensu-Danquanh · Ayensu-Danquah · Prof. Dr Grace Ayensu-Danquah · Prof Grace Ayensu-Danquah · Prof Ayensu-Danquah · Professor Dr. Grace Ayensu-Danquah · Professor Grace Ayensu-Danquah · Dr Grace Ayensu Danquah · Dr Ayensu Danquah

Deputy Minister of Health championing maternal mortality reduction and health system strengthening initiatives across Ghana's regions.

2026-04-242026-09-13

In coverage

Verbatim sentences from the source article.

April 2026
28 AprBusiness & Financial Times
The Deputy Minister of Health, Dr. Grace Ayensu Danquah, has been appointed as a Secretariat Member of the African High Level Ministerial Committee (AHLMC) to help lead the reform of the global health architecture in a way that benefits the continent and its citizens. …
Deputy Health Minister appointed to AU Secretariat on global health
27 AprThe Chronicle
The Deputy Minister of Health and Member of Parliament for Essikado-Ketan, Dr. Grace Ayensu-Danquah, has been appointed to the Secretariat of the African High-Level Ministerial Committee (AHLMC), a key African Union body driving reforms in global health governance. …
AU Elevates Deputy Health Minister, Grace Ayensu-Danquah
24 AprBusiness & Financial Times
The Deputy Minister of Health, Dr. Grace Ayensu Danquah, has been appointed as a Secretariat Member of the African High Level Ministerial Committee (AHLMC) to help lead the reform of the global health architecture in a way that benefits the continent and its citizens. …
Deputy Health Minister Ayensu-Danquah appointed to AU Secretariat on global health

World & Region

Ghana, US Peace Corps mark 65 years of partnership

The News

The Ministry of Health and Peace Corps commemorated 65 years of bilateral partnership since 1961, recognizing the organization's contributions to healthcare, community development, education, and agriculture. Deputy Health Minister Grace Ayensu-Danquah highlighted Peace Corps volunteers' role in Ghana's eradication of Guinea worm disease, certified complete in 2015, and work in public health and sanitation programmes.

3 September 2026 · Joy Online →

Thursday 3 September

Ghana, US Peace Corps mark 65 years of partnership
The Ministry of Health and Peace Corps commemorated 65 years of bilateral partnership since 1961, recognizing the organization's contributions to healthcare, community development, education, and agriculture. Deputy Health Minister Grace Ayensu-Danquah highlighted Peace Corps volunteers' role in Ghana's eradication of Guinea worm disease, certified complete in 2015, and work in public health and sanitation programmes.
3 September 2026 · Joy Online →

Friday 28 August

Ghana's maternal mortality crisis: preventable deaths in hospital
A young Ghanaian woman died at Ridge Hospital during a scheduled Caesarean section, leaving her newborn son without a mother and raising questions about preventable deaths in childbirth despite known prevention methods. Her husband attributes her death to healthcare system failures, negligence, and unprofessional conduct.
28 August 2026 · Joy Online →

Thursday 27 August

Ghana pilots WHO benchmarking tool for clinical trial systems
Ghana has been selected as one of eight countries worldwide to pilot a WHO benchmarking tool designed to assess and strengthen institutional capacity for conducting high-quality clinical trials. The tool examines seven functional areas across 32 objectives and 112 outcomes, and 13 Ghanaian institutions participated in an assessment exercise.
27 August 2026 · Joy Online →

Friday 21 August

Ghana, China explore AI healthcare innovation partnership
Ghana's Deputy Minister of Health called for stronger Ghana-China and West African cooperation to harness AI and medical technology to improve healthcare delivery at the 2026 China-West Africa Medical and Health Industry Expo in Accra. She emphasized that technology must be clinically validated, secure, affordable and support—not replace—health professionals' judgment.
21 August 2026 · Joy Online →

Thursday 20 August

Ghana seeks local medical technology production, China partnership
At the Third China-West African Medical Expo and AI Diagnostic Summit in Accra, Ghana's Deputy Minister for Health called for local manufacturing and assembly of medical technologies rather than reliance on imports, advocating for technology transfer, research collaboration, and professional training to strengthen health security and create jobs. She also urged stakeholders to ensure artificial intelligence in healthcare is safe, affordable, and suited to Ghana's health system, noting that AI-assisted diagnostics and digital health systems could address specialist expertise shortages at the primary healthcare level.
20 August 2026 · Daily Guide →

Tuesday 18 August

Ghana seeks to reduce maternal mortality, falls short of WHO goals
Ghana's maternal mortality ratio has improved from 943 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2000 to 234 in 2023, but remains above the WHO benchmark of fewer than 70 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030. President Mahama's government has made reducing maternal mortality a national priority, viewing preventable pregnancy and childbirth complications as a critical health challenge.
18 August 2026 · Daily Guide →

Monday 17 August

Ashanti Region accounts for 24% of Ghana's maternal deaths
The Ashanti Region recorded maternal mortality of 196.7 per 100,000 live births in 2025, accounting for 24% of all national maternal deaths—well above the SDG target of 70. The regional health director noted that 15% of these deaths involved cases from outside the region, with Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital accounting for approximately 62% of recorded maternal deaths, of which about 92% were referred from outside.
17 August 2026 · Joy Online →

Saturday 15 August

Asantehene urges urgent action to reduce maternal deaths in Ghana
The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has called for urgent and pragmatic measures to reduce maternal deaths in Ghana, describing the loss of women during childbirth as unacceptable in the 21st century. He urged health workers to demonstrate commitment in providing maternal healthcare and called on pregnant women to attend antenatal clinics regularly and adhere to medical advice.
15 August 2026 · Joy Online →

Thursday 13 August

Deputy Health Minister meets hospitals on maternal healthcare challenges
The Deputy Minister for Health engaged management and health workers at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital and Kumasi South Hospital in Ashanti Region to discuss maternal healthcare challenges including emergency obstetric care, referral systems, infrastructure, and staffing. Health professionals called for completion of Sewua and Afari hospitals to reduce pressure on existing facilities and improve access to care.
13 August 2026 · Joy Online →
Ashanti Region records Ghana's highest maternal mortality rate
The Ashanti Region's maternal mortality ratio rose to 196.7 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2025, Ghana's highest, and the region accounted for approximately 24.6 per cent of maternal deaths recorded across the country last year. Ghana's national maternal mortality figure stands at 235 deaths per 100,000 live births, significantly above the SDG target of 70 deaths per 100,000 live births.
13 August 2026 · Joy Online →

Thursday 6 August

Ghana recorded 986 maternal deaths in 2024, deputy minister reports
Deputy Health Minister Dr Grace Ayensu-Danquah disclosed that 986 pregnant women died in Ghana in 2024, with the country's maternal mortality ratio at 235 deaths per 100,000 live births. She stressed that reducing preventable maternal deaths is a key government priority and said strengthening primary healthcare and addressing infrastructure challenges are essential to improving outcomes for mothers.
6 August 2026 · Joy Online →

Wednesday 22 July

Africa must strengthen domestic health financing, Deputy Health Minister says
Deputy Minister of Health Professor Grace Ayensu-Danquah called on African countries to increase domestic health financing as external donor support becomes less certain, noting that official development assistance and long-standing funding models are changing and programmes many health systems have relied on can no longer be taken for granted.
22 July 2026 · Joy Online →

Saturday 18 July

Better coordination can end Ghana's no-bed syndrome
Ghana's Deputy Health Minister told Parliament that "no-bed syndrome" in hospitals is not due to inadequate infrastructure but rather to poor management and coordination of available beds. With national hospital bed occupancy at about 60 per cent, she argued that establishing an integrated bed management system with real-time information on bed availability would allow ambulance services and emergency teams to identify and transport patients to facilities with required capacity.
18 July 2026 · Joy Online →

Friday 17 July

Deputy Health Minister calls for merit-based health training admissions
Deputy Minister for Health Professor Dr. Grace Ayensu-Danquah has called for transparent, fair and merit-based admissions into Ghana's Health Training Institutions, saying the quality of healthcare delivery depends on the calibre of students admitted. Speaking at the 2026 Annual Health Training Institutions Conference in Kumasi, she outlined reforms including timely trainee allowances, PhD scholarships for 30 health tutors, specialist nursing programmes, and improved admissions processes.
17 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Deputy Health Minister calls for merit-based health training admissions
Deputy Minister for Health Professor Dr. Grace Ayensu-Danquah has called for transparent, fair and merit-based admissions into Ghana's Health Training Institutions, saying the calibre of students admitted affects healthcare delivery quality. Speaking at the 2026 Annual Health Training Institutions Conference in Kumasi, she outlined various Ministry of Health reforms including timely trainee allowances, funded PhD scholarships for 30 health tutors, specialist nursing programmes, and improved admissions processes.
17 July 2026 · Joy Online →

Tuesday 14 July

Government intensifies maternal health training in Northern Region
The Deputy Minister of Health has launched a maternal mortality reduction drive in the Northern Region through community engagement and emergency care training under the Maternal Mortality Action and Response Programme, visiting health facilities in Yendi Municipality to strengthen collaboration among health authorities, traditional leaders and local communities.
14 July 2026 · The Chronicle →
Government intensifies maternal mortality reduction efforts in Northern Region
The Deputy Minister of Health has intensified government efforts to tackle maternal mortality and improve emergency healthcare delivery in the Northern Region under the Maternal Mortality Action and Response Programme, engaging community leaders, health authorities, and traditional leaders to reduce preventable maternal deaths.
14 July 2026 · Joy Online →

Monday 13 July

Deputy Health Minister leads maternal mortality campaign in Northern Region
The Deputy Minister of Health has intensified efforts to tackle maternal mortality and strengthen emergency healthcare delivery in the Northern Region through the Maternal Mortality Action and Response Programme (MMARP), an initiative aimed at reducing preventable maternal deaths through collaboration between health authorities, traditional leaders and local communities.
13 July 2026 · Joy Online →

Tuesday 7 July

Deputy Health Minister meets Northern directors on maternal mortality
The Deputy Minister for Health held meetings with the Northern Regional Health Directorate and District Directors of Health Services in Tamale as part of the Maternal Mortality Action and Response Programme, focusing on strengthening referral systems, enhancing emergency obstetric care, and improving accountability to reduce preventable maternal deaths.
7 July 2026 · Joy Online →

Saturday 27 June

Ghana deploys 47 health workers to Saint Kitts and Nevis
Ghana has deployed 47 health professionals to Saint Kitts and Nevis under the government's Health Workforce Migration Initiative, a managed migration programme offering fixed-term overseas contracts with the expectation that workers will return after two to three years to continue serving Ghana's health sector.
27 June 2026 · Joy Online →

Friday 26 June

Deputy Health Minister seeks support for Ghana Medical Trust Fund
Deputy Minister for Health Prof. Dr Grace Ayensu-Danquah has called on Regional Ministers to support the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, a government initiative designed to improve healthcare access for vulnerable patients suffering from chronic and life-threatening non-communicable diseases by reducing financial barriers to treatment. The Fund plans nationwide stakeholder engagements involving traditional leaders, faith-based organisations, healthcare providers, and civil society organisations to build partnerships and ensure eligible Ghanaians can access treatment regardless of their financial circumstances.
26 June 2026 · Joy Online →

Thursday 25 June

Nearly 500 nurses enrolled in specialist training programmes
Nearly 500 nurses have been admitted into specialised training programmes under the Mahama Care Initiative to strengthen Ghana's capacity in advanced healthcare. The training focuses on key areas including Emergency Nursing, Critical Care Nursing, Cardiology Nursing, Nephrology Nursing, Endocrinology Nursing, and Oncology Nursing.
25 June 2026 · Joy Online →

Thursday 11 June

Government activates border surveillance to prevent Ebola spread
Ghana's government has activated surveillance and isolation systems at major border entry points following an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with the Deputy Minister of Health assessing preparedness at the country's two busiest border crossings.
11 June 2026 · The Chronicle →

Wednesday 10 June

Ghana activates Ebola surveillance systems at borders
The government has activated surveillance and isolation systems at key border posts to detect and prevent the spread of Ebola, following an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Deputy Health Minister Dr. Grace Ayensu-Danquah toured the Elubo and Aflao borders to assess Ghana's response strategy, with President Mahama directing the ministry to ensure readiness for a potential outbreak.
10 June 2026 · Business & Financial Times →

Monday 8 June

Ghana activates Ebola surveillance and isolation systems
Ghana has activated surveillance and isolation systems at key border posts to detect and isolate suspected Ebola cases, following a Deputy Minister of Health's assessment tour of the Elubo and Aflao borders in response to the outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo.
8 June 2026 · Daily Guide →
Ghana activates border surveillance to prevent Ebola spread
Ghana has activated surveillance and isolation systems at border posts including Elubo and Aflao to detect and prevent the spread of Ebola virus disease, following an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Deputy Minister of Health pledged swift government action to address identified gaps and strengthen response mechanisms at the direction of President John Mahama.
8 June 2026 · Joy Online →

Thursday 4 June

Ghana to build health posts at all land borders amid Ebola threat
The government has announced plans to construct and equip modern health posts across all land borders to strengthen disease surveillance and screening at entry points, in response to recent Ebola outbreaks in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
4 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Government to establish health posts at all land borders
Ghana's Deputy Minister for Health announced plans to establish and equip dedicated health posts at all land borders to strengthen disease surveillance and screening capacity, following reported Ebola outbreaks in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
4 June 2026 · Joy Online →

Monday 1 June

Health Ministry, Parliament, UNFPA intensify obstetric fistula elimination efforts
Ghana's Health Ministry, Parliament and the UN Population Fund have stepped up action against obstetric fistula after figures showed that only 1,096 women out of 3,688 recorded cases between 2016 and 2025 received reparative surgery. The country records about 845 new fistula cases annually while treatment capacity remains significantly lower.
1 June 2026 · Joy Online →

Sunday 31 May

GHS reassigns Western Regional Director amid political speculation
The reassignment of Western Regional Director Dr Marion Okoh Owusu to Ghana Health Service headquarters in Accra has sparked speculation that the move may have been influenced by political considerations rather than routine administration. Sources suggest her growing profile in the region and perceived political connections, including family ties to the NDC, generated concerns among some political actors, though Okoh Owusu has never publicly declared intention to contest a parliamentary seat.
31 May 2026 · The Chronicle →