Constraints Associated with Access to Free Maternal Delivery in the Brong Ahafo Region of Ghana

Abstract

The Ghanaian government instituted a nationwide free maternal delivery policy in 2005 as a pro - poor strategy to enable women have access to quality maternal health services. Th e aim was to meet the Millennium Development Goal 5 which seeks to reduce maternal mortality ratio by 75 percent between 1990 and 2015 and to increase the percentage of births attended by skilled professionals from 40 per cent in 2005 to 60 per cent by 201 5. The purpose of the study was to identify challenges associated with access to free maternal delivery. This study highlights the concerns of women who are direct beneficiaries of the policy. The study adopted a qualitative case study using focus group i nterviews with women from three districts in the Brong Ahafo Region in Ghana. Results from the study were analyzed using the Constant Comparative approach of grounded theory. The findings showed that challenges to free maternal deliveries include: costs of transportation, distance from health facilities, denial of dignity by health personnel in hospitals and cultural issues. Availability of information on free maternal health services to these women, and the inclusion of their views are crucial to addres sing these challenges.