Health Ministry Showcases Midwife-Led Innovations at First National Hackathon
The Ministry of Health has successfully held its maiden Midwives’ Innovation Hackathon Exhibition, spotlighting bold, practical solutions developed by midwives to improve maternal and newborn healthcare delivery across Ghana.
Speaking at the exhibition, the Ministry’s Chief Director, Mr Desmond Boateng, described the initiative as a clear demonstration of government’s commitment to strengthening maternal and newborn health outcomes through innovation. He emphasised that midwives remain central to Ghana’s Universal Health Coverage agenda and assured participants of continued institutional support to turn their ideas into scalable solutions.
According to him, innovation within the health sector is critical to improving efficiency, enhancing decision-making, and ensuring safe, high-quality care for mothers and newborns, particularly in resource-constrained settings.
President of the Ghana Registered Midwives Association (GRMA), Madam Netta Ackon-Forson, noted that the hackathon reinforced the fact that innovation does not always depend on sophisticated technology. Instead, she said, it often emerges from practical problem-solving informed by the everyday experiences of midwives on the frontline.
She stressed that in many underserved communities, midwives are not merely part of the healthcare system but the backbone of it, delivering lifesaving care despite significant challenges.
The Head of the Midwifery Unit at the Ministry of Health, Madam Estel Ruth Opoku, announced that winning teams will receive cash prizes, mentorship opportunities, and support to further develop and scale their innovations. She revealed that key partners, including Google, Microsoft, and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), have pledged support to help transform selected ideas into functional prototypes, digital tools, and community-based interventions.
The exhibition showcased a range of midwife-led projects evaluated by a selected jury, celebrating homegrown solutions rooted in the realities of maternal and newborn care delivery in Ghana.
