Improving Maternal Health: Using Indigenous Methodologies to Unveil the Root Causes of Poor Maternal Health in Ghana.

Background: Most maternal deaths are recorded in Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries including Ghana. Global policy initiatives like the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), aim to decrease maternal mortality by 2030. Research shows a snail-like progress due to pandemics, climate change, financial crises, and insecurities. Hence, its more crucial for studies on maternal mortality in SSA countries which experience the highest rate of maternal deaths globally. However, there is a dearth of literature in SSA countries on the topic, as most related studies have either been conducted elsewhere or used Western methodologies which are unapplicable in most SSA countries. Other studies were conducted by outsiders who had little understanding of the context.

Methods: the study therefore used Afrocentric methodologies that are consistent with the sanctity of motherhood and African communal values to examine maternal health in the Upper West Region, Ghana. Thus, via African feminism, the study used indigenous research tools, particularly, songs and storytelling to collect data in local Ghanaian languages. Interviews and focus group discussions were also conducted, which were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim with participants’ permission. The researcher being a native with a deeper understanding of the topic and context facilitated all sessions and manoeuvred the dual positionality of an insider and outsider. A total of sixty-three people were purposefully recruited to participate in the study, consisting of community health workers, supervisors and service users. All data was analysed using thematic analysis.

Results: Findings from the study reveal the use of educative songs and stories centred on maternal health which have an emancipatory benefit for marginalised women, aside facilitating greater interaction among participants to generate richer data on maternal health.

Conclusion: The study concludes that, to guarantee better maternal health outcomes, there is need for more studies using indigenous methods to generate relevant data to design evidence-based interventions.