A Maternity Clinic for Fantekrom

Project Background

Fantekrom is a community in the Nzema East District of the Western Region of Ghana, with approximately 1,500 inhabitants. Due to a lack of infrastructure, the nearest medical facility is about 7 km away and difficult to reach because of poor road conditions.

The only available birthing place for pregnant women was a makeshift shed that didn’t meet the required standards for a safe delivery. Potential complications were not detected early, there was no emergency care during childbirth, and newborns couldn’t be adequately cared for. As a result, maternal and neonatal mortality rates were high.

The construction of a new maternity clinic now provides a safe environment for expectant mothers. The new facility includes rooms for prenatal consultations, deliveries, a pharmacy, waiting areas, and sanitary facilities. The goal is to improve healthcare services for pregnant women and newborns while ensuring better access to medical care.

Causes of Maternal and Infant Mortality

Direct Causes of Maternal Mortality:

  • Hemorrhage during home births
  • Eclampsia
  • Complications from unsafe abortions
  • Infections
  • Difficult deliveries

Indirect Causes:

  • Malaria
  • Anemia
  • Pre-existing conditions that negatively affect pregnancy

Main Challenges:

  • Delayed response to pregnancy complications
  • Late decision-making within the community due to a lack of awareness of danger signs
  • Limited access to healthcare facilities due to long distances and poor infrastructure

Most Common Causes of Neonatal Death:

  • Diarrhea
  • Congenital anomalies
  • Neonatal tetanus
  • Premature births
  • Severe infections

Project Description

  • Construction of a modern maternity clinic with a dedicated delivery room
  • Preventive measures through information campaigns, education, and awareness programs

Project Goals

  • Improving access to medical care in remote areas
  • Reducing maternal, infant, and child mortality through early diagnosis
  • Ensuring a safe environment for childbirth and neonatal care
  • Providing vaccinations
  • Reducing teenage pregnancies through family planning counseling

The Fantekrom Maternity Clinic will make a sustainable contribution to the health of mothers and newborns.

Project Status: Completed

Estimated Cost: 46.500€; funded by Mercedes-Benz ProCent

Impressions