Ninety one cases of maternal deaths were recorded at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi in 2016, an alarming figure which has become a major concern for authorities of the medical facility.
Prof Baafuor Opoku, consultant obstetrics/gynaecology, lead clinician, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (KATH), who made the disclosure, expressed great worry about the frightening statistics.
He was speaking to a section of the media in Kumasi when the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Bantama Constituency, Daniel Okyem Aboagye, paid a visit to the medical facility.
The MP was at the hospital to ascertain what had led to the sharp increase in maternal mortality at KATH, so that he can raise the matter up in parliament to help find solutions to it.
Prof Baafuor Opoku said most of the pregnant women who lost their lives during the year under review either suffered hypertensive diseases, bled profusely or suffered complications after they tried to terminate their pregnancies.
According to him, KATH boasts of competent and hard working medical doctors and nurses, but lack of space at the hospital, which is the biggest hospital in the northern sector of the country, is impeding effective work at the facility.
Prof Baafuor Opoku, therefore, added his voice to numerous calls for the 43-year-old children and maternity block project at KATH which is still under construction to be completed soon to help save human lives.
Daniel Okyem Aboagye said even though KATH is not situated on the soil of Bantama Constituency, the rate at which pregnant women lose their lives at the hospital should be a concern to all and sundry.
The Bantama MP, therefore, pledged to speak on the Floor of Parliament about the increasing maternal mortality at KATH so as to draw national attention to the unfortunate development to help save precious lives.
 FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi