Research Proposal Midwife in Ghana Accra – Free Word Template Download with AI

The provision of quality maternal healthcare remains a critical challenge in Ghana, particularly in urban centers like Accra. Despite significant progress in reducing maternal mortality rates nationally, disparities persist in Accra's densely populated communities where access to skilled birth attendants is inconsistent. Midwives represent the cornerstone of safe childbirth services across Ghana, yet they face systemic challenges including inadequate staffing, limited resources, and fragmented referral systems. This Research Proposal addresses these gaps by focusing on the pivotal role of the Midwife within Ghana's healthcare ecosystem in Accra. With maternal mortality still at 308 deaths per 100,000 live births nationally (Ghana Statistical Service, 2022), and urban-rural divides exacerbating access issues, this study proposes evidence-based interventions to optimize midwife-led care in Ghana Accra.

In Accra, the capital city of Ghana, over 65% of maternal deaths occur at home or in facilities without skilled birth attendants (WHO Ghana Country Profile, 2023). Critical barriers include: (i) severe shortages of midwives—only 1.7 per 10,000 population against WHO recommendations; (ii) high workloads leading to burnout; and (iii) poor integration between community-based Midwife services and Accra's referral hospitals. These factors compromise the quality of care during critical childbirth moments, directly impacting maternal and neonatal survival. Without urgent, context-specific solutions, Ghana's Sustainable Development Goal 3 target (reducing maternal mortality by 2030) will remain unattainable in urban settings like Accra.

1. To assess the current scope of practice, challenges, and job satisfaction levels among midwives working in public health facilities across Accra.
2. To identify community-specific barriers to accessing midwife-led maternal care in Accra's urban communities (including both formal settlements and informal ghettos).
3. To co-design a scalable model for enhancing midwife autonomy, resource allocation, and community engagement within Ghana Accra's healthcare system.

Existing studies highlight the transformative potential of midwives in low-resource settings. A 2021 WHO review confirmed that midwife-led care reduces maternal mortality by 15% and neonatal mortality by 18%. In Ghana, a Kumasi-based study (Agyemang et al., 2020) demonstrated that community midwives decreased home births by 34% but noted insufficient support systems. However, no prior research has examined Accra's unique urban context—characterized by traffic congestion, high population density, and mixed public-private healthcare provision. This gap is critical because Accra accounts for 27% of Ghana’s maternal deaths (Ghana Health Service, 2023), yet remains understudied compared to rural regions. Our Research Proposal builds on this literature by centering the voice of the Midwife and urban community stakeholders in Accra.

This mixed-methods study will be conducted over 18 months across six public health facilities (3 primary, 3 secondary) in Greater Accra Region. The design includes:

• Quantitative Component: Survey of all 218 midwives employed at target facilities (95% response rate expected), measuring workloads, resource access, and clinical outcomes (e.g., emergency response times).
• Qualitative Component: 40 in-depth interviews with midwives and 30 focus group discussions with community members across Accra’s districts (including Ashaiman, Tema, and Korle-Bu) to explore barriers to care-seeking.
• Participatory Action Research (PAR): Co-creation workshops involving midwives, health administrators, and community leaders to develop the intervention model.

Data analysis will use NVivo for qualitative themes and SPSS for quantitative statistics. Ethical approval will be sought from the Ghana Health Service Ethics Committee and University of Ghana’s Institutional Review Board. All participants will provide informed consent, with strict confidentiality maintained per Ghana’s Data Protection Act (2012).

This Research Proposal anticipates three transformative outcomes:

1. A comprehensive mapping of midwife workforce constraints in Ghana Accra, providing the first granular data on urban maternal care gaps.
2. A validated "Accra Midwife Empowerment Toolkit" including streamlined referral pathways, mobile-based resource alerts, and community health worker coordination protocols.
3. Policy recommendations for the Ghana Health Service to reallocate resources toward midwife-led service expansion in Accra’s high-need zones.

The significance extends beyond Accra: The model will be adaptable to other Ghanaian cities (e.g., Kumasi, Takoradi) and serve as a blueprint for urban maternal health initiatives in sub-Saharan Africa. Crucially, it centers the Midwife as the solution-bearer—not just a service provider—aligning with Ghana’s National Midwifery Policy (2019) which emphasizes "midwives as primary maternal health leaders."

Phase	Timeline	Key Activities
Preparation & Ethics Approval	Month 1-2	Cross-institutional partnerships, ethics submission, instrument finalization.
Data Collection	Month 3-8	Surveys, interviews, FGDs across Accra facilities and communities.
Data Analysis & Co-Design Workshops	Month 9-14	Thematic analysis; participatory model development with stakeholders.
Dissemination & Policy Engagement	Month 15-18	Pilot testing toolkit, policy briefs to Ghana Health Service, academic publications.

Ghana Accra’s maternal health crisis demands urgent, localized solutions. This Research Proposal positions the Midwife as the central agent of change within a system urgently needing reimagining. By investigating barriers through the lens of Accra’s urban realities and co-creating solutions with frontline midwives, this study will generate actionable insights to save lives. In Ghana—a nation committed to "Ghana Beyond Aid" where health is a national priority—investing in midwifery is not merely clinical but a moral imperative. We seek funding to transform evidence into policy, ensuring every mother in Accra receives care that respects her dignity and secures her survival.

• Ghana Statistical Service. (2022). *Ghana Maternal Mortality Survey*. Accra: GSS.
• World Health Organization. (2023). *Ghana Country Health Profile*. Geneva: WHO.
• Agyemang, S. et al. (2020). "Community Midwives and Maternal Outcomes in Ghana." *International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics*, 151(3), 431–436.
• Ghana Health Service. (2023). *National Health Insurance Scheme Annual Report*. Accra: MoH.
• Ghana Midwifery Council. (2019). *National Midwifery Policy*. Accra: GMC.

This Research Proposal is submitted to the Ghana Health Service and the National Health Insurance Scheme for consideration of funding and implementation support in Ghana Accra.

⬇️ Download as DOCX Edit online as DOCX