Internal conflicts among health workers pose serious threat to maternal care in Ghana, warns MamaCare CEO

Maternal health experts have sounded an alarm over workplace conflicts within Ghana's healthcare system, cautioning that disputes among obstetric care providers directly threaten the safety of pregnant women and newborns. Speaking at the Annual Health Conference held at the Korle-Bu Nursing and Midwifery Training College, Mrs Racheal Hesse Matey, Chief Executive Officer of MamaCare by Racheal, highlighted how internal disagreements among staff can derail clinical protocols and compromise the quality of care delivered to vulnerable mothers.

The warning comes at a time when maternal and neonatal mortality remain persistent challenges in Ghana's healthcare landscape. Mrs Hesse Matey stressed that when conflicts between colleagues go unresolved, the very clinical guidelines designed to protect patients often fall by the wayside. "When people are not in agreement, protocols are ignored," she explained, noting that this fragmentation of approach leads to inconsistent care and puts mothers at unnecessary risk.

How workplace tension affects patient safety

According to Mrs Hesse Matey, the consequences of internal conflict among healthcare teams are far from abstract. Disagreements and protocol breaches can cascade into serious clinical errors, including misdiagnosis, inappropriate medical interventions, and breakdowns in coordination between medical staff. Tensions between colleagues working the same shifts create an environment where communication falters, handovers become unreliable, and critical information about patients may fail to reach those who need it.

She called on Ghana's health facilities and training institutions to prioritise building stronger teams through improved communication channels and swift conflict resolution mechanisms. "We need to come to one agreement," she said, underscoring that consensus on clinical standards is essential for safe practice.

Rising expectations from informed patients

Mrs Hesse Matey also highlighted a shift in the healthcare dynamic: Ghanaian women are increasingly researching their pregnancies and childbirth before arriving at hospitals. Armed with knowledge from online resources and medical literature, expectant mothers now arrive with informed questions and expectations about their care. This evolution demands that midwives and obstetric staff continuously update their professional knowledge and skills to meet these expectations.

"Before they come to the hospital, many women already know their condition," she noted, pointing out that mothers often track their pregnancy week by week and month by month. Healthcare providers who lack current knowledge and competence risk losing patient trust and, more critically, endangering maternal health outcomes.

Why this matters for Ghana's maternal health crisis

Ghana continues to grapple with maternal and neonatal mortality rates that exceed targets set by international health organisations. Experts have long identified inadequate training, poor communication, and gaps in clinical governance as contributing factors. Mrs Hesse Matey's intervention points to a dimension often overlooked: internal workplace dynamics and professional conduct directly affect whether mothers receive the standard of care they deserve.

She also emphasised that quality healthcare must be equitable and non-discriminatory. Healthcare workers must ensure that every patient—regardless of social background, financial status, or appearance—receives appropriate, respectful care. Additionally, she flagged a modern workplace challenge: excessive mobile phone and social media use during duty hours distracts staff and reduces attentive patient care.

The conference discussions reinforced that improving maternal and neonatal outcomes in Ghana requires a multifaceted approach centred on clinical competence, professional conduct, and cohesive teamwork. As Ghana works toward reducing preventable maternal deaths, addressing internal conflicts and strengthening professional culture within healthcare facilities emerges as a critical, actionable step.