title: Millennium development Goal 5: progress and challenges in reducing maternal deaths in Ghana.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  High maternal deaths in developing countries are recognised as a public health issue. To address this concern, targets were set as part of the Millennium Development Goals, launched in 2000 by the United Nations General Assembly. However, despite focused efforts, the maternal health targets in developing regions may not be achieved by 2015.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We highlight progress and challenges in reducing maternal deaths, with a particular focus on Ghana. We discuss key issues like the free maternal healthcare package, transportation and referral concerns, human resources challenges, as well as the introduction of direct-entry midwifery training and the Community-based Health and Planning Services rolled out to specifically help curb poor maternal health outcomes. A key contribution to the country's slow progress towards achieving Millennium Development Goal 5 is that policy choices have often been in response to emergency or advancing problems rather than the use of preventive measures. Ghana can benefit greatly from long-term preventive strategies, the development of human resources, infrastructure and community health education.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Chronic Disease, College of Health and Biomedicine, Victoria University, PO Box 14428, Melbourne, VIC, 8001, Australia. minerva.kyeinimakoh@live.vu.edu.au.
authors.forename: Minerva
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kyei-Nimakoh
authors.affiliation: Centre for Chronic Disease, College of Health and Biomedicine, Victoria University, PO Box 14428, Melbourne, VIC, 8001, Australia.
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carolan-Olah
authors.affiliation: Centre for Chronic Disease, College of Health and Biomedicine, Victoria University, PO Box 14428, Melbourne, VIC, 8001, Australia.
authors.forename: Terence V
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: McCann
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005869:Ghana / Q000453:epidemiology; D006040:Goals; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D063130:Maternal Death / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008427:Maternal Health Services / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D008880:Midwifery / Q000458:organization & administration; D011247:Pregnancy; D011634:Public Health / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000379:methods*; D014480:United Nations