Deck 13: The Health Care System in Ghana

Question 1

Discuss how Ghana's healthcare system emerged.

Answer 1

Since the independence in 1957, Ghana has been a two tier healthcare system. It is contains a system administered by the Ministry of Health and one rooted by traditional medicine. The Ministry of Health mainly funds maternal and child health leaving all other care poorly funded. There is a poor economy in Ghana that does not allow for a mass immunization, clean water, safe environments, and good crops and less diseases.
There are many diarrheal diseases that occur that cause many deaths to occur among children under the age of one. Women are also having a lot of complications with pregnancies. The population of Ghana contains many women and children who are poorly educated living the men to work. There are no sanitary facilities and the fund to provide for good healthcare is unavailable.

Question 2

Typical of most developing countries, Ghana lacks the resources to address many of the 21st century health challenges it faces. Discuss the basic "Health for all by year 2000" primary care initiative and why it failed.

Answer 2

The basic "Health for all by year 2000" was a plan made by the Ministry of Health. It was a way for individuals in Ghana to get healthcare before having to go to a hospital. Most hospitals are very far a lot and the most equipped and good hospital in Ghana is very far from most regions of the country. The plan brought several polyclinics to different regions of Ghana. The polyclinics had physicians and nurses that were there to help Ghanaians with medical issues and if illness were severe enough to go to the hospital they would instruct individuals to go there.
The plan failed because they are poorly equipped. When individuals found out that the clinics did not have the right necessities then they would not go there anymore. They were poorly staffed as well. Many of the clinics to this day are underutilized. People were also not financially stable to pay for expenses and would rather go see an elderly individual or a tradition doctor where they could pay with foodstuff or commodities. The plan could have been successful if there were more funding and medical professionals to help in the clinics.

Question 3

Discuss the incidence and prevalence of disease.

Answer 3

Disease in Ghana is very prevalent. Individuals experience disease quite frequently. Although Ghana has very good physicians they are mainly located in urban areas and most individuals are in rural areas. Diseases in Ghana are not common in most countries in the world. Because they are poorly funded and it not a very sanitary country, there are more serious diseases common.
Many people are not immunized either. Polio, cholera, yellow fever, guinea worm and C-Resistant Malaria are very common in Ghana. Electricity and water is not always stable or available in communities. Ghanaians sometimes will not seek physicians because they believe that they defy scientific understanding and a physician could not help or there is no need for them to do anything according to them. These include boils, rashes and headaches.
The citizens of Ghana also will try to help themselves or seek help from elderly individuals in their community before they go to a physician, but by that time it is too late. Top infections in Ghana include HIV/AIDS, Malaria, Lower respiratory infection, and perinatal conditions.
All of the diseases that affect Ghana can be preventable or treated at early stages, but individuals do not seek the help or there is not the right equipment or care available to all citizens.

Question 4

Describe the health funding priority in Ghana and the rationale for directing the majority of its healthcare budget to this initiative.

Question 5

Discuss the top three diseases and related challenges.

Question 6

Discuss the concept of We-ism in Ghana. What are the strengths and weaknesses of such a commitment as this? How does this concept compare to practices in your setting?

Question 7

Determine how health care is structured, financed, and accessed.

Question 8

Imagine living in a remote Ghanaian village for six months without electricity, running water, bathrooms, or emergency medical care. What strategies might you employ to remain healthy?

Question 9

Identify funding priorities, initiatives, and challenges.

Question 10

Describe health practices that are commonly used to maintain and restore health.

Question 11

Explain how social determinants affect health-seeking beliefs and practices.

Question 12

Case Scenario
A Complicated Delivery
Adowa is a healthy 26-year-old professional female in the third trimester of her first pregnancy. She has received routine prenatal care since her first month of pregnancy, and mother and unborn child are progressing well. Her husband, Kwabena, is a prominent attorney, his father is also an attorney; Adowa?s parents are both Ghanaian dignitaries. Being persons of substantial financial means, the parents on both sides are excited about the birth of their first grandchild and convince the couple that it would be best if Adowa spends her last two months in a prominent birthing center, generally reserved for only the most affluent. Adowa and Kwabena were initially reluctant because she was feeling well, had thus far had an uneventful pregnancy, and they lived only 20 minutes away from the Korle Bu Hospital, the only fully-equipped medical center in the country. However, after a few days of their parents? urging, and so as not to disappoint them, the couple finally agreed to the birthing center.
Promptly upon reaching 7 months of pregnancy, Adowa was admitted to the birthing center about 40 miles west of their home, the opposite direction of the Korle Bu Hospital. When she reached 8? months pregnancy, Adowa?s parents received a call that she was in labor and they should come right away. Filled with excitement, they left for the birthing center. Adowa had unexpectedly awakened with terrific pain in her abdomen and back, and was in obvious labor; but by the time her parents reached the center their daughter was dead, and the baby had already been rushed to the Korle Bu Medical Center by a private automobile, without oxygen. The only explanation offered the parents was that their daughter died in childbirth. The baby, once at Korle Bu, was stabilized and miraculously did well. Kwabena, having received the call late, was waiting for the parents at Korle Bu. The young husband, along with the entire family, was devastated to learn that his healthy, energetic wife, who had no complaints when he saw her a day ago, was now dead. Kwabena blamed the birthing center, the parents for convincing them to go in the first place, and mostly he blamed himself for not having the courage to go against the wishes of his parents and in-laws. Especially because, as he said, ?She would have had a much better chance had she been at Korle Bu.?
Ironically, money and privilege did not prevent a tragic ending in this situation. What factors do you think account for the wife's death?

Question 13

Case Scenario
A Complicated Delivery
Adowa is a healthy 26-year-old professional female in the third trimester of her first pregnancy. She has received routine prenatal care since her first month of pregnancy, and mother and unborn child are progressing well. Her husband, Kwabena, is a prominent attorney, his father is also an attorney; Adowa?s parents are both Ghanaian dignitaries. Being persons of substantial financial means, the parents on both sides are excited about the birth of their first grandchild and convince the couple that it would be best if Adowa spends her last two months in a prominent birthing center, generally reserved for only the most affluent. Adowa and Kwabena were initially reluctant because she was feeling well, had thus far had an uneventful pregnancy, and they lived only 20 minutes away from the Korle Bu Hospital, the only fully-equipped medical center in the country. However, after a few days of their parents? urging, and so as not to disappoint them, the couple finally agreed to the birthing center.
Promptly upon reaching 7 months of pregnancy, Adowa was admitted to the birthing center about 40 miles west of their home, the opposite direction of the Korle Bu Hospital. When she reached 8? months pregnancy, Adowa?s parents received a call that she was in labor and they should come right away. Filled with excitement, they left for the birthing center. Adowa had unexpectedly awakened with terrific pain in her abdomen and back, and was in obvious labor; but by the time her parents reached the center their daughter was dead, and the baby had already been rushed to the Korle Bu Medical Center by a private automobile, without oxygen. The only explanation offered the parents was that their daughter died in childbirth. The baby, once at Korle Bu, was stabilized and miraculously did well. Kwabena, having received the call late, was waiting for the parents at Korle Bu. The young husband, along with the entire family, was devastated to learn that his healthy, energetic wife, who had no complaints when he saw her a day ago, was now dead. Kwabena blamed the birthing center, the parents for convincing them to go in the first place, and mostly he blamed himself for not having the courage to go against the wishes of his parents and in-laws. Especially because, as he said, ?She would have had a much better chance had she been at Korle Bu.?
Should Kwabena have been more assertive with the parents about staying close to home and using the services at Korle Bu? Had he been more assertive, would things have turned out differently?

Question 14

Case Scenario
A Complicated Delivery
Adowa is a healthy 26-year-old professional female in the third trimester of her first pregnancy. She has received routine prenatal care since her first month of pregnancy, and mother and unborn child are progressing well. Her husband, Kwabena, is a prominent attorney, his father is also an attorney; Adowa?s parents are both Ghanaian dignitaries. Being persons of substantial financial means, the parents on both sides are excited about the birth of their first grandchild and convince the couple that it would be best if Adowa spends her last two months in a prominent birthing center, generally reserved for only the most affluent. Adowa and Kwabena were initially reluctant because she was feeling well, had thus far had an uneventful pregnancy, and they lived only 20 minutes away from the Korle Bu Hospital, the only fully-equipped medical center in the country. However, after a few days of their parents? urging, and so as not to disappoint them, the couple finally agreed to the birthing center.
Promptly upon reaching 7 months of pregnancy, Adowa was admitted to the birthing center about 40 miles west of their home, the opposite direction of the Korle Bu Hospital. When she reached 8? months pregnancy, Adowa?s parents received a call that she was in labor and they should come right away. Filled with excitement, they left for the birthing center. Adowa had unexpectedly awakened with terrific pain in her abdomen and back, and was in obvious labor; but by the time her parents reached the center their daughter was dead, and the baby had already been rushed to the Korle Bu Medical Center by a private automobile, without oxygen. The only explanation offered the parents was that their daughter died in childbirth. The baby, once at Korle Bu, was stabilized and miraculously did well. Kwabena, having received the call late, was waiting for the parents at Korle Bu. The young husband, along with the entire family, was devastated to learn that his healthy, energetic wife, who had no complaints when he saw her a day ago, was now dead. Kwabena blamed the birthing center, the parents for convincing them to go in the first place, and mostly he blamed himself for not having the courage to go against the wishes of his parents and in-laws. Especially because, as he said, ?She would have had a much better chance had she been at Korle Bu.?
Why would a prominent birthing center have to rush the baby to Korle Bu? Why wouldn't the center be able to take care of the baby's needs?

Question 15

Case Scenario
A Complicated Delivery
Adowa is a healthy 26-year-old professional female in the third trimester of her first pregnancy. She has received routine prenatal care since her first month of pregnancy, and mother and unborn child are progressing well. Her husband, Kwabena, is a prominent attorney, his father is also an attorney; Adowa?s parents are both Ghanaian dignitaries. Being persons of substantial financial means, the parents on both sides are excited about the birth of their first grandchild and convince the couple that it would be best if Adowa spends her last two months in a prominent birthing center, generally reserved for only the most affluent. Adowa and Kwabena were initially reluctant because she was feeling well, had thus far had an uneventful pregnancy, and they lived only 20 minutes away from the Korle Bu Hospital, the only fully-equipped medical center in the country. However, after a few days of their parents? urging, and so as not to disappoint them, the couple finally agreed to the birthing center.
Promptly upon reaching 7 months of pregnancy, Adowa was admitted to the birthing center about 40 miles west of their home, the opposite direction of the Korle Bu Hospital. When she reached 8? months pregnancy, Adowa?s parents received a call that she was in labor and they should come right away. Filled with excitement, they left for the birthing center. Adowa had unexpectedly awakened with terrific pain in her abdomen and back, and was in obvious labor; but by the time her parents reached the center their daughter was dead, and the baby had already been rushed to the Korle Bu Medical Center by a private automobile, without oxygen. The only explanation offered the parents was that their daughter died in childbirth. The baby, once at Korle Bu, was stabilized and miraculously did well. Kwabena, having received the call late, was waiting for the parents at Korle Bu. The young husband, along with the entire family, was devastated to learn that his healthy, energetic wife, who had no complaints when he saw her a day ago, was now dead. Kwabena blamed the birthing center, the parents for convincing them to go in the first place, and mostly he blamed himself for not having the courage to go against the wishes of his parents and in-laws. Especially because, as he said, ?She would have had a much better chance had she been at Korle Bu.?
As you think about the issues in this case, what is your understanding of true access in relation to class differences? For example, does being wealthy guarantee the best medical service possible?