Title:
Factors Influencing Access to Quality Maternal Healthcare Services in Ghana: Analysis of the Literature
Authors:
Hafizu, Alabani
Place:
Amsterdam
Publisher:
KIT - Royal Tropical Institute [etc.]
Year:
2017
PAGE:
viii, 58
Language:
En
Subject:
Maternal Health – Lessons Learned
Keywords:
Maternal health services, quality, access, low and middle-income countries, and Ghana
Abstract:
Background: Maternal mortality remains a global health challenge (303,000 deaths in 2015), with low and middle-income countries (LMIC), including Ghana, suffering the greatest burden (99%). Access to quality maternal health services (MHS) is of key importance, yet is still a challenge. Objective: To identify and analyse factors influencing access to quality MHS including emergency obstetric care (EmOC) and safe abortion care (SAC) in Ghana, in order to make recommendations to improve access. Methodology: The study undertook review and analysis of literature and a desk study. Levesque et al.‟s (2013) access to health care conceptual framework was adopted to guide the review. Findings: Inadequate health facilities and lack of skilled staff, low coverage of National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), insufficient medical supplies and poor provider attitude were identified as the major supply-side barriers for access to quality MHS. On the demand-side, main negative factors were socio-cultural barriers, long distance travel and low socio-economic status. Conclusion: Accessing quality MHS, remains a challenge in the Ghana, due to both supply-side and demand-side factors. A number of effective interventions were identified, that potentially can address these barriers. Recommendations: The government of Ghana (GOG) through the Ministry of Health need to increase financial commitment to health; expand health infrastructure, including a nationwide scale up of Community-based Health Planning Services; enforce the train and retain policy; redistribute health staff in favour of the underserved areas, review the free MHS policy under NHIS, to include all pregnant women and mothers regardless of their NHIS status, and include safe abortion care; and use community participatory interventions, such as women‟s participatory learning groups and volunteer peer counseling to provide health education and antenatal care services at the community level.
Organization:
KIT - Royal Tropical Institute
,
VU - Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Institute:
KIT (Royal Tropical Institute)
Country:
Ghana
Region:
West Africa
Training:
Master of International Health
Category:
Research
Right:
@ 2017 Hafizu
Document type:
Thesis/dissertation
File:
OiiJEjETQZ_20180412154522620.pdf