"Doing Magic With Very Little": Barriers to Ghanaian Midwives' Ability to Provide Quality Maternal and Neonatal Care

PURPOSE: This study identified barriers that affected Ghanaian midwives' ability to provide quality care to prevent maternal and neonatal mortality. DESIGN: Glaserian Grounded Theory was the framework of this study. Interviews were conducted with 33 participants from 10 facilities in seven districts in one region in southern Ghana. FINDINGS: Midwives are committed to do their best to provide quality care to women and newborns. Barriers to their care included a lack of resources of care, unsupportive facility management, and client related barriers. CONCLUSIONS: Measures to reduce barriers for midwives to provide quality care must improve health financing at a national and facility level; the encouragement of supportive supervision and management at a facility level; and actions to enhance midwife engagement with clients and communities.