St John Ambulance Ghana (SJAG) has officially launched the sixth St John Mother and Baby Programme, marking a new chapter in an initiative that has been running across St John for more than a decade.
The “Mama Na Mwana / Mother and Baby” programme was launched by St John International in Malawi, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe in November 2014, with St John Kenya joining in 2025. Over the past decade, the programme has built experience in working with communities to improve maternal and newborn health through education, mobilisation and referral. Ghana will now add its own experience and learning, with the programme adapted to the needs, priorities and circumstances of local communities.
The programme was launched at the Accra Metro Health Directorate under the theme, “Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies, Stronger Communities: Advancing Free Primary Healthcare through Mother and Baby Care.” The ceremony brought together representatives from the Ministry of Health, Ghana Health Service, traditional leaders, queen mothers, health professionals, community volunteers and other stakeholders.
The Mother and Baby Programme aims to help families better understand maternal and newborn health, including the importance of antenatal care, skilled delivery and postnatal care. It will also help communities recognise danger signs, seek assistance early and understand where to access appropriate healthcare.
St John Ambulance Ghana will work alongside the Ministry of Health, Ghana Health Service and existing health facilities, using community volunteers to provide health education, mobilise communities, promote positive health-seeking behaviours and support timely referrals. The programme will also encourage greater involvement from fathers, husbands, grandparents and other family members in supporting mothers and babies.
At the launch, Programme Coordinator Gloria Ganah explained that while the Mother and Baby programme in Ghana draws on the experience of St John Mother and Baby programmes elsewhere, it has been adapted to reflect the specific needs and circumstances of communities in Ghana. Local ownership and community participation will be central to its implementation.
A key part of the launch was the commissioning of St John Ambulance Ghana’s community volunteers. They will act as a link between families and existing health services, sharing maternal and newborn health information, raising awareness of danger signs and facilitating referrals where necessary.
The approach reflects St John Ambulance Ghana’s wider intention to strengthen community-level healthcare rather than duplicate the work of existing health institutions.
The programme received support from traditional leaders and health authorities during the launch. Naa-Amorkor Shikafutru I, Queen Mother of the Asere Amartse We Clan of Sakumo, pledged the support of queen mothers and encouraged families to work with community volunteers. She also highlighted the importance of involving husbands and other family members in maternal healthcare.
Representing the Ghana Health Service, Dr Kennedy Brightson, Director of Family Health, welcomed the initiative and emphasised that communities should be active partners in healthcare. He encouraged continued collaboration between St John Ambulance Ghana and government health institutions.
With the official launch complete, the programme now moves into its implementation phase. Community volunteers will be central to delivering health education, supporting families and strengthening connections between communities and health facilities.
The initiative also aligns with Ghana’s broader Free Primary Healthcare agenda, particularly its focus on bringing quality healthcare closer to communities and empowering families to seek care at the right time.
For St John Ambulance Ghana, the launch represents both a new programme in Ghana and the continuation of a much longer journey. The experience gained across Malawi, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Kenya provides a strong foundation, while the Mother and Baby team in Ghana will bring new perspectives and learning from the communities it serves.
With continued collaboration between St John Ambulance Ghana, government health agencies, traditional leaders, community volunteers and families, the programme aims to contribute to healthier mothers, healthier babies and stronger communities across Ghana.
