Question

in mot more than 500 words explain the role of local government in healthcare delivery in ghana

Answer 1

ROLE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN HEALTHCARE DELIVERY IN GHANA

HEALTH CARE DELIVERY SYSTEM : It is the aggregate of institutions, organizations and persons who enter the health care system, who has the responsibility that includes promotion of health, prevention of illnesses, detection and treatment of diseases and rehabilitation.

OBJECTIVES: The main objective is to enable all citizens to receive health care services whenever needed and to deliver health services that are cost effective and meet pre-established standards of quality.

HEALTHCARE DELIVERY IN GHANA:

In Ghana, most of the health care is provided by the government and is largely administered by the Ministry of Health and Ghana Health Services.

HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS: There are 5 levels of providers which includes

1. Health Posts : These are first level of primary care for rural areas.
2. Health centres and Clinics
3. District Hospitals
4. Regional Hospitals
5. Tertiary Hospitals

FUNDS FOR DELIVERING HEALTH CARE:

• Government of Ghana
• Financial credits
• Internally Generated Funds (IGF)
• Donors-pooled health funds

THE HEALTH SECTOR IN GHANA: The health services includes goverment, private, traditional and NGO providers, civil society and community groups.

SERVICES ORGANIZED IN 5-TIERS

• Community Health and Planning Services
• Sub-District level
• District level
• Regional level
• National level

Other providers of Health:

• The Mission Sector :20% of the hospitals and clinics.
• Employers
• Private Medical Practitioners

Large Informal Sectors:

• Traditional Practitioners
• Pharmacies and Chemical sellers

PRIVATE SECTOR:

There are 2 types of private providers of health

1. The Private-Not-for-Profit : It has 2 catagories

• Faith based providers
• NGOs in health (over 100)

2.The private-for-Profit (Private-self-financing)

ACTIVITIES OF NGOs IN HEALTH

• Information, Education and Communication
• Sexuality and Reproductive Health
• Maternal and Child Health
• Family Planning
• AIDS/HIV prevention
• Community mobilization for health education and service
• Water and Sanitation
• Gender empowerment
• Poverty alleviation and food security
• Relief services during disasters
• Training and research

ACTIVITIES OF PRIVATE PROVIDERS:

• Services made up of allopathic practices

1. Medical, nursing, midwifery
2. Medical laboratory services
3. Drug outlets such as Pharmacies and Chemical Sellers shops
4. Traditional Medicines Practices

• Most are sole proprietorships
• Operate mostly in urban areas
• Complementary and Alternate Medicine receiving increasing recognition
• “Eastern Type of Medicine” becoming popular

FUNDING THE HEALTH SECTOR

Public health sector mainly funded by

• Government budget (45% - 55%)
• Bilateral and Multilateral foreign donors (25%- 35%)
• Financial credits (7%-13%)
• User fees including Health Insurance (15%) Increasing very fast

DEVELOPMENTS SO FAR:

1. Private Sector Unit in the Ministry of Health
2. A Board of Private hospitals and maternity homes exists; now known as HEFRA.
3. Joint fora for planning and monitoring of health service delivery at the national and regional level
4. NGOs are now a part of District and Regional Health Management Teams
5. Areas of Government support to the private sector are being jointly identified and addressed.
6. Performance contracts signed between Government and Christian Health Association of Ghana
7. Government endorses donor support to the private sector
8. Ways of facilitating use of public facilities by private practitioners are being explored
9. Tax exemptions for the importation of drugs, dressings, medical equipment and supplies by private providers Provision of capital equipment to some private and mission facilities
10. Mission institutions designated as District Hospitals treated as Government District hospitals
11. Private institutions subjected to financial management appraisals to certify them to receive government recurrent budgets
12. National programmes implemented through private sector providers : The National Tuberculosis Programme
13. Health insurance covers services by private providers

ROLE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN HEALTH CARE DELIVERY :

• Traditional public health including health monitoring, sanitation, and disease control.
• Financing and delivery of personal health services including Medicaid, mental health, and direct delivery through public hospitals and health.
• Funds cancer screening and immunization programs that are provided free to targeted population groups.
• Delivery of free public hospital services, preventive care, chronic disease management, and supplementary mental health care not covered by Medicare.