A reflection on ghanas mental health system mdedge. Chapter 2 overview of the health system in ghana the dhs. Due to the introduction of the national health insurance scheme in 2003. In the most recent survey, conducted between 1997 and 2010, there were nine doctors, and 105 nurses and midwives per 100,000 people. Emmanuel adom winful, has described the nations health systems as poor, lacking quality monitoring and evaluation mechanisms. The government is to replace the existing cash and carry health financing system with a national health insurance scheme. May 17, 2018 the organizational structure of the ghana health system comprises many levels. More specifically, this means stronger leadership and coordination from the ministry of all its agencies to address identified. The sole official language of instruction throughout the ghanaian educational system is english. Whoever reads this report will be able to appreciate the main issues confronting the healthcare system in ghana, especially the national health insurance scheme. Ghanas welldeveloped, highly decentralized, and evolving health system operates on an integrated threelevel national, regional, and district scheme and incorporates a communitylevel health delivery system.
Because the current cash and carry system, which makes it compulsory for everybody to. Ghana national healthcare quality strategy vi foreword our vision is to create a health system that places the client at the centre of health care and ensures continuously improved measurable health outcomes. The president of the ghana medical association, gma dr. Ghana national healthcare quality strategy ministry of health.
Enhance national capacity for the attainment of the health related mdgs and sustain the gains 6. It forms an integral part both of the countrys health system of which it is the nucleus and of the overall. This technical brief discusses known obstacles in the process of establishing and sustaining the nhis drawing lessons from ghana. In ghana, most health care is provided by the government and is largely administered by the ministry of health and ghana health services. The ghana ministry of health has introduced a national universal medical insurance system, the national health insurance scheme nhis, which pays for hospitalizations and outpatient doctor visits, as well as basic laboratory testing and certain medications. Historical overview of health care financing in ghana there is abundant literature on evolution of the ghanaian health system. It is based upon the three health financing functions of revenue collection, pooling and purchasing. Upsurge of flu in three second cycle institutions, eastern region. Associations have been made between ghanas weak health system and recurring trends in corrupt health worker practices. Division of the ghana health service, to coordinate mental health care in the ghana health service institutions. Discussions with senior stakeholders enhanced data quality and aided interpretation of the findings to produce this full incountry detailed report. Ghanas nhis in brief ghanas health care system was founded on the basis.
Promote collaboration between the ministry of health, teaching hospitals and the service. Ghana is currently working towards achievement of the millennium development goals. Improving health outcomes, financial protection, and consumer responsiveness in an equitable, efficient, and sustainable manner. Presidents emergency plan for aids relief pepfar, cdc works with ghana to build a sustainable, highimpact national hiv response program to accelerate progress towards the unaids global targets to control the hiv epidemic. Steps in the approach to eye health system assessment in ghana, julydecember 2012. A fullyfledged user fee scheme known as cash and carry came into effect. Oct 16, 2017 the communitybased health planning and services chps system in ghana is frequently cited as an exemplar approach to service delivery and community engagement in primary health care. The healthcare system in ghana is similar to those in other developing countries and access to health services for remote communities is extremely limited. The national health insurance scheme now provides wide coverage for a limited scope of health issues, primarily insuring for treatment against the most prevalent diseases malaria. Health services in ghana changed significantly in 1992, from being virtually free to a cash and carry system in which all patients attending government health services had to pay in full for. September 2015 volume 49, number 3 ghana medical journal. Improve efficiency in governance and management of the health system 4. The model, however, could not be sustained for long and token user fee was first introduced in 1972.
Pdf ghana is a developing country in west africa with a population of about 25 million. Ghanas healthcare system was founded on the basis of the free health care model. These include the administrative levels which are further grouped into the national, regional and district levels. Since 2003, a new scheme has been voted and passed into law, in order to abolish the former cash. Ghanas health care system was founded on the basis of the free health care model. Improving ghanas mental healthcare through taskshiftingpsychiatrists and health policy directors perceptions about governments commitment and the role of community mental health workers. Evident strengths of the mental health system were family support for patients and the scope of psychiatrists, while the most prominent weakness was the inadequate funding. The healthcare system has five levels of providers. A reflection on ghanas mental health system mdedge psychiatry.
Postings and transfers that is the decisionmaking and negotiation regarding where health providers work, and their geographic mobility within the health system is an underresearched aspect of health workforce governance. The mental health system in ghana mental health innovation. The model, however, could not be sustained for long and a token user fee was first introduced in 1972. As treatment of mental illness expands, more funding, psychiatrists, and mental health workers will be critical for the continued success of ghanas mental health system. In addition, the democratic shift in ghana spurred healthcare reforms in an attempt to address the presence of infectious and noncommunicable diseases eventually resulting in the formation of the national health. Decentralisation and management of human resource for health in the health system of ghana. Ghs is governed by a 12member councilthe ghana health service council. As such, it provides an overall picture of the ghana health sector, how things were and how things have changed, as well as a situational analysis of the performance of the health delivery and health financing. The health care system in ghana is confronted with the formidable task of improving and guaranteeing the health and wellbeing of the ghanaian people. An evaluation of the national health insurance scheme in ghana.
When poorly managed, postings and transfers result in maldistribution, absenteeism, and low morale. The history of health in ghana was heavily influenced by international actors such as christian missionaries, european colonists, the world bank, and the international monetary fund. The concept of diseases and health care in african. It forms an integral part both of the countrys health system of which it is the nucleus and of the overall social and economic development of the community. Submit to the minister recommendations for health care delivery policies and programmes. Usaid provides oversight to ensure a high quality of care at all levels of the health system. Decentralisation and management of human resource for. To achieve the targets for the reduction of child mortality, which forms mdg 4, ghana should reduce underfive deaths per 1,000 live births to 43, and increase measles immunisation to 100 per cent by 2015. The goal of moh is, to improve the health status of all people living in ghana through effective and efficient policy formulation, resource. Ensure the implementation of the functions of the service. The ghana health service ghs remains committed to providing quality and adequate health care services in every community throughout ghana by expanding. The chps initiative targets remote areas of high need to deliver costeffective and quality primary care services to individuals and households, while also. It is not intended to be an exhaustive survey of healthcare in ghana.
Ghana has a universal health care system, national health insurance scheme nhis, and until the establishment of the national health insurance scheme, many people died because they did not have money to pay for their health care needs when they were taken ill. Although the national health insurance scheme nhis of ghana was designed to promote universal health coverage, oopes as a proportion of total health expenditures remains elevated at 26%, exceeding the whos recommendations of less than 1520%. Evaluating the impact of the national health insurance. Ministry of health moh and ghana health services ghs. The organizational structure of the ghana health system comprises many levels. Ghana operates on a 6344 system primary school 6 years junior secondaryhigh school 3 years senior secondary school 3 years senior high school entrants 2007 2009 4 years university bachelors degree 4 years language. The ghana health service ghs received a report of unusually high number of suspected flu cases in three 3 secondary schools akuse methodist secondary school, krobo girls secondary school and legacy school private in lowermanyakrobo district of eastern region on thursday 31st october, 2019. Ghanas healthcare expenditure has increased over the past two. The system of health which operated prior to the establishment of the nhis was known as the cash and carry system. Chapter 2 overview of the health system in ghana the health care system in ghana is confronted with the formidable task of improving and guaranteeing the health and wellbeing of the ghanaian people. Good health for the african consists of mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional stability of oneself, family members, and community.
In 2005, ghana moved from a pay as you go system, where individual health expenditures were paid in cash prior to treatment, covered entirely by the patient. For the traditional african, health is not just about the proper functioning of bodily organs. Approximately 150 million people suffer from financial catastrophe annually because of outofpocket expenditures oopes on health. All hospitals bill the nhis monthly for the patients who have joined the program. Decisionmaking on postings and transfers that is, the geographic deployment of the health workforce is a key element of health workforce governance. This report summarises the findings of the 2014 ghana demographic and health survey 2014 gdhs, implemented by the ghana statistical service gss, the ghana health service ghs, and the national public health reference laboratory nphrl of the ghs. Country immunization information system assessments. This can be explained by a health care system that has been improved and supported a lot by the government in recent years. Methodology of the eye health system assessment the ehsa approach provides a rapid yet comprehensive assessment of the key health systems functions. Sep 15, 2017 a health workforce which is appropriately deployed and wellmotivated is crucial to supporting health service delivery. The trend in the ghana healthcare system does not show adequate. Pdf in this chapter we chart population health changes in ghana since 1957 and associated health systems responses.
In july, 2010, the government of ghana launched the national e health strategy. At stake is managing the balance between organisational i. Presently the system is straining to deal with increasing cost of service and to respond to increasing pressure to expand services to enable the inequity gap that. Usaid supports the strengthening of ghanas health system through improved policy and providing assistance in leadership development, as well as through financial and management support systems at decentralized levels of the ghana health sector. Whoever reads this report will be able to appreciate the main issues confronting the healthcare system in ghana, especially the. Medical illnesses in ghana overlap with those in developed. My intent is to draw enough attention to the health care system which, in my view.
Jul 04, 2018 20180704 this article is not intended to be academic in nature. Nowadays, the average life expectancy in ghana is 64 years for women and 57 for men 2010, one of the highest of africa. Sep 03, 2014 the ghana ministry of health has introduced a national universal medical insurance system, the national health insurance scheme nhis, which pays for hospitalizations and outpatient doctor visits, as well as basic laboratory testing and certain medications. Hiv is a leading cause of death and a health threat to millions worldwide. Until 1996, the moh oversaw the direct provision of health service delivery in ghana. Improve quality of health services delivery including mental health services 5. Pdf health and healthcare in ghana, 19572017 researchgate. Feb 05, 2014 the health care system in ghana is similar to those in other developing countries and access to health services for remote communities is extremely limited. The chief psychiatrist also coordinated t he world health organisation assessment instrument for mental health systems whoaims was used to collect information on the mental health system in ghana for the year 2011 and. Postings and transfers in the ghanaian health system. Aims was used to collect information on the mental health system in ghana for the year 2011 and to prepare a preliminary report. The evolution of the system from a classic general revenue, thus the one funded by national health system in which free care was provided by the ministry of health to a cash and carry system relying on. The implications of decentralisation on human resource for health management has not received adequate.
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