Sustainability of Maternal Health Care Interventions in Rural Ghana: The Case of Kassena-Nankana West District

Abstract

The drastic reduction in maternal mortality in rural Ghana is largely attributed to both internal and external interventions, raising the question as to whether reductions in maternal mortality can be sustained without external support. The bigger question is the ability of developing countries to sustain external interventions which have over the years contributed significantly to reduction in maternal mortality in developing countries. Kasena-Nankana District has benefited from donor supported interventions aimed at reducing maternal mortality. This has resulted in high reduction in maternal mortality in the district. The study examined the sustainability of some external maternal health interventions after their period of implementation in the Kassena-Nankana West District.

The study considered three external maternal health interventions implemented between 2009 and 2014 in the district. Detailed open and closed ended questionnaires were administered to two project managers, three health administrators, eight health volunteers and traditional birth attendants and 180 nursing mothers and pregnant women. The study revealed that in spite of implementation challenges, the incorporation of some sustainable mechanisms including; community participation at the initial stages, ease of accessibility and projects’ integration within the normal health care delivery system were ensured. These contributed to the delivery of intervention services resulting in positive health behaviours though with minimal existence of intervention activities beyond implementation timelines. However other sustainable mechanisms that should be ensured include, funding beyond external periods, identification of project champions within host institutions, integration of project activities into normal daily routine activities among others so as to ensure the sustenance of intervention activities and successes achieved.

Keywords: Health Care, Sustainability, maternal health, interventions, rural Ghana