Ghana Healthcare State of Healthcare in Ghana

Ghana Healthcare

State of Healthcare in Ghana

The current state of healthcare in Ghana can be summarized as underdeveloped. Many parts of the country are not industrialized and suffer from preventable conditions and diseases due to poor water quality and sanitation problems. The country also shares many issues that are also present in many other regions in Africa such as the spread of malaria and HIV. Although Africa only has eleven percent of the world's population, it has over sixty percent of the world's HIV / AIDS cases and roughly ninety percent of the world's malaria cases, mainly in children under five[footnoteRef:1]. [1: (News Medical)]

The healthcare system is primarily provided by the government and administered by the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Services. There are different levels of health care that serve as an overall health network. Although there are some Western style for-profit facilities, these account for only a small portion of the total healthcare providers in the country. Furthermore, healthcare institutions that are run by religious affiliated groups make up a significant portion of the total healthcare services offered in the country and account for over a third of the total services provided.

There are many opportunities to streamline the administration of healthcare in Ghana. Currently the administration capabilities in Ghana are very loosely organized and highly fragmented. This is in part due to the fact that there is a mix of different service delivery options that are not centrally coordinated or share information. Given the underdeveloped administrative technology that has slowly progressed the infrastructure has not been built that would allow these professional to collaborate patient information efficiently. Health Services Administrators in Ghana can be found in the public health institutions, private hospitals, non-governmental organizations and quasi-government institutions like the police and military hospitals (AHSAG). However, an association of healthcare administrators has been formed to further develop the administrative capabilities in Ghana. This organization's principal activities include (AHSAG):

Organizes annual conferences in the form of workshops/seminars through which members update their knowledge on emerging issues in the health sector.

Organizes training programmes in partnership with the Health Administration and Support Services Division of Ghana Health Service for continuing professional development of Health Services Administrators.

Represents the interests of all of its members in negotiations for salaries and better conditions of service.

Develops policy positions and make necessary representations for policy and planning decisions of Ghana Health Service/Ministry of Health.

Develops, in partnership with Health Administration and Support Service (HASS) Division of Ghana Health Service, manuals on administrative practices and procedures for the effective orientation of Health Managers.

Develops and maintains effective communication links, contact and good working relationships with other Health Professional Associations within the country.

Fosters professional networks with our affiliated members.

Offers advice and assistance to its members on personal and professional development. This has resulted in increasing the educational status of most members through the pursuance of post graduate studies the membership. The support of organizations is sometimes solicited howbeit infrequently.

One way to analyze the state of healthcare services in any country is to look at the infant mortality rate. The infant mortality rate is thought to reflect the entire well-being of the total population since all people generally value the lives of children is similar ways. The infant mortality rate applies to children still in the womb until they reach their first birthday. From the age of one to the age of eighteen, this the mortality rate for this demographic is referred to as the child mortality rate. Both rates are based on the number of deaths per one thousand individuals.