Accessing Healthcare In Ghana: Challenges Of And Strategies Adopted By Persons With Physical Disability In The Accra Metropolis

ABSTRACT

Access to quality and timely healthcare is essential to the health and well-being of all individuals with no exception to persons with physical disability. However, people in developing countries tend to have less access to healthcare than those in developed countries, with Ghana not being an exception. The issue of inadequate healthcare services at health facilities and the absence of disability friendly environment have made it difficult for persons with physical disability to access healthcare. However, there is very little information on access to healthcare for persons with physical disability in Ghana. This study explored access to healthcare for persons with physical disability in the Accra Metropolis. The study sought to ascertain the barriers persons with physical disability face in accessing healthcare in the Accra Metropolis, identify strategies persons with physical disability in the Accra Metropolis employed when they were ill and find out participants’ suggestions for improving healthcare services provided by health professionals in the Accra Metropolis. The study adopted a qualitative research design with twenty-one participants purposively sampled from the Ghana Blind Union, Ghana Society for the Physically Disabled and the Ghana National Association for the Deaf. The study found that persons with physical disability in the Accra Metropolis encountered barriers including physical, financial, attitudinal, communication, transportation and inadequate knowledge of health professionals on disability issues in accessing healthcare. The findings also revealed that persons with physical disability resorted to strategies such as hospital care, pharmacy visit, self-medication and exercising faith when they were ill. From the findings, participants suggested that availability of vi disability desks and sighted guides at health facilities would help improve healthcare provided by health professionals in the Accra Metropolis. The study concludes that, there is the need to address the issues associated with healthcare for persons with physical disability in order to improve on their overall well-being.