In a move towards improving maternal and child health documentation and registration processes, the Births and Deaths Registry has officially launched and handed over the revised combined Maternal and Child Health Record Books to the Ghana Health Service. This development promises to simplify and expedite the issuance of birth certificates, facilitating the acquisition of a Ghana National Identification Number at birth.

Enhanced Record-Keeping for Better Planning

The revised record book is designed to streamline the registration of births and fetal deaths, ensuring timely notification and accurate data collection. This data is crucial for national planning and socio-economic development. The book’s introduction was marked by a launch and handover ceremony held on June 7, 2024 in Dodowa, Greater Accra Region.

During the ceremony, Mr. Yaw Osafo-Maafo, a Senior Presidential Advisor, highlighted the collaborative efforts that led to this achievement. He announced that nearly 1.2 million copies of the revised booklet had been produced through the Public Sector Reform for Results Project. This new standard will continue to serve its original purpose of pre- and post-natal documentation while expanding to include notifications of births and fetal deaths across the country.

Universal Birth Registration: A Step Towards SDG 16.9

Mr. Osafo-Maafo emphasized the importance of ensuring every birth and fetal death is registered, aiming for universal coverage as part of the Sustainable Development Goal 16.9. This goal focuses on providing legal identity for all, including birth registration. He praised the collaborative spirit of the Ghana Health Service and the Births and Deaths Registry, particularly acknowledging the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service for his open-door policy and the Registrar of Births and Deaths, Henrietta Lamptey, for her dedication to the project.

Ms. Lamptey underlined the critical role of registering fetal deaths for socio-economic development. “The statistics derived from the data influence national developmental planning and programming. It is, therefore, important to get the information right to facilitate effective public policy development and decision-making,” she stated.

Public Engagement and Education

To ensure the success of this initiative, sensitization materials have been developed for media engagement and public education. These materials aim to inform and involve citizens in the registration process, highlighting their crucial role. Through support from the World Bank, the registry is equipped to educate the public about the importance of registering births and deaths, particularly fetal deaths.

The Ghana Health Service has systems in place to facilitate access to pre- and post-natal services, ensuring that every child is registered and legally identified immediately after birth. Equal importance is placed on the registration of deaths, underscoring the comprehensive approach taken by the revised record book.

A Future of Accurate Data and Effective Policy

The introduction of the revised Maternal and Child Health Record Books marks a significant step towards improving health documentation and registration processes in Ghana. With nearly 1.2 million copies in circulation, this initiative is set to enhance national planning and socio-economic development by providing accurate and timely data. The commitment to universal birth registration and the inclusion of fetal death registration will help establish a strong foundation for public policy development and decision-making, benefiting the entire nation.

This initiative represents a major milestone in Ghana’s journey towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals and underscores the vital role of collaboration between public institutions in driving national progress.