2019 Budget Silent On Maternal Mortality

Ghana Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) Platform has urged government to specifically indicate in subsequent budgets the progress markers and benchmarks toward meeting the various targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In the Organizations analysis on SDGs in 2019 budget statement, sighted by The Publisher, it observed that the sector specific interventions in the budget do not adequately address the SDGs targets.

Citing an example, it stated that the budget paid little attention to specific issues of maternal mortality, malaria, HIV/AIDs, and non-communicable diseases in the Health Sector.

According to the SDGs baseline report, the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) has been falling, but still remains high in the country.

Between 1995 and 2015, the MMR fell from 532 to 319 material deaths per 100,000 live births.
However, government failed to indicate how it aims to address the high maternal mortality to achieve the SDG target of less than 70 deaths per 100,000 live births.

While calling on government to address the SDGs target, the non-governmental organization also urged government to take another look at their inputs made in particular reference to SDGs 3, 6 and 16.
Meanwhile, CSO has commended government for taking the bold initiative to align the 2019 budget statement to the SDGs.

The budget linked policy and programme interventions to the 17 SDGs and also outlined how the various sectoral interventions will contribute to the achievement of the goals.

According to the Finance Minister, “Ghana is the second country after Mexico to fully integrate the SDGs framework in the budget to track progress on the SDGs and ensure budget allocations.”

By: Emmanuel Yeboah Britwum