ABSTRACT Ghana established the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) through the enactment of Act 650 in 2003 which was to secure the provision of basic healthcare services to a person resident in the country. Since the implementation of NHIS in 2004, the Fee-for-service (FFS) has been used for the payment of drugs and some other services until 2008 when the Ghana Diagnostic-Related Groups (G-DRGs) was introduced to pay providers on the basis of claims made by them to the District Mutual ...
ABSTRACT Background: Spontaneous reporting is the most efficient and cost effective method of monitoring the safety of registered drugs. The programme was launched in Ghana in June 2001. The spontaneous adverse drug reaction system is affected by underreporting by doctors and other healthcare professionals; there is however, limited knowledge about the factors that contribute to low reporting of adverse drug reactions and the reporting rate in Ghana. Objective: The general objective of this ...
Abstract The HIV/AIDS pandemic continue to spread in Sub Saharan Africa and Ghana is no exception, 2001 estimates of prevalence from sentinel centres across the country suggest between 3 to 4 percent. This study was conducted in Agogo, in the Ashanti Akim North District of Ghana. It is a qualitative descriptive study that set out to describe the youth and the environment they live in, document what safer sex and HIV/AIDS prevention information the youth have, describe what safer sex and HIV...
ABSTRACT Background: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are currently a major public health concern all over the world. A major risk factor for NCDs is obesity. Childhood obesity is a global health challenge with over 42 million children affected. One major factor that influences obesity in children is their diet. Marketing of foods affects the choice of foods children desire and demand from their parents. Food marketing occurs through multiple techniques including electronic media (e.g. inter...
ABSTRACT Background Information on the cost of management of malaria is important for improved financial management but is sparse. The objective of this study was to estimate the Institutional cost of irrational prescriptions for uncomplicated malaria. Methods A retrospective cross-sectional study approach was used to review 140 prescriptions issued for uncomplicated malaria at the Madina Polyclinic, Kekule. The prescriptions were judged to be rational or irrational according to the Standard...
ABSTRACT Background: Port related work is known to be one of the most dangerous occupations that contribute to increasing occupational injuries in the world. Numerous work-related injuries occur at different levels in the workplace but as a result of lack of thorough standards, or unfamiliarity with the existing guidelines, people are not normally aware of such events and their actual or potential consequences on human health. In The Gambia as in any other developing country, not much atten...
ABSTRACT The study was conducted to assess the factors influencing low contraceptive use among adolescents in the Kintampo north municipality. Cross-sectional study design was used for the study using a sample size of 100 adolescents in the municipality. A questionnaire was used for the data collection. Results of the study showed that, there was a high (79%) knowledge of contraceptives among respondents. Some health system factors that influenced the use of contraceptives among adolescents...
ABSTRACT The control of the spread of endemic malaria is incumbent on the prevention of many mortalities and morbidities that are associated with the disease in the Upper East Region of Ghana. The insecticide treated bed nets are the most reliable and cost effective tools to use in the prevention of malaria. This study explored the usage patterns and decision making processes, level of knowledge on the risk of the non-use of the Insecticide Treated Net (ITN), barriers to sustained usage and ...
ABSTRACT The trend of caesarean section (CS) rate continues to increase worldwide. This trend of increasing CS has raised a lot of concerns among health professionals and countries world over. The World Health Organisation in 2007 reached a consensus around the world with the recommendation of an acceptable Caesarean Section rate of 10---15% among countries. This study evaluated the trend of Caesarean Section in the KassenaNankana Municipal of the Upper East Region, Ghana. The study evaluated...
ABSTRACT The period of adolescence is a critical one where adolescents are vulnerable to many health risks including those related to their sexual and reproductive life. With the availability of adolescent friendly health services (AFHS), it is expected that adolescents will go through their developmental stages with minimal or no health challenges. However, health challenges of adolescents rather seem to be on the increase and this may be attributed to many factors. The purpose of this study...
ABSTRACT Child survival remains one of the most important public health challenges in Ghana. The implementation of Community-based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) is one of the key strategies to improve child survival. The aim of this study was to assess the implementation realities of Community-based Management of Acute Malnutrition programme on child survival in Savelugu/Nanton Municipal of the Northern Region of Ghana. The specific objectives are: 1. Assessing the CMAM service pr...
ABSTRACT Background: Cervical cancer is the commonest gynaecological cancer in women worldwide with more than 85% of the global burden occurring in developing countries where it accounts for 13% of all female cancers and a major cause of cancer-related deaths. It has a long latency period and it is one of the few cancers that are preventable through regular screening. Objective: This study aimed to assess the awareness of cervical cancer among young female adults and their willingness to scre...
ABSTRACT The quest for pain relief has been the reason why casualties visit the emergency department to seek appropriate intervention. The aim of the study was to explore pain management by nurses among Road Traffic Accident casualties at the 37 Military Hospital. A qualitative descriptive design guided by the caregiver aspect of the Social Communication Model of Pain (Craig, 2009) was used in the study. Purposive sampling technique was employed to recruit thirteen nurses from the trauma surg...
ABSTRACT Background: Small-Scale mining which feature large rudimentary, unmonitored and uncontrolled practices had been vulnerable to miners due to the use of labour-intensive and crude methods of extracting the ore which tend to produce lots of dust and fumes. Objective: To determine the effect of personal protective equipment use and occurrence of respiratory diseases among small-scale miners in Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality. Methods: A cross sectional study was performed among small-scale mi...
ABSTRACT Introduction: Worldwide it is estimated that about half of all pregnant women are anaemic. In Ghana, the incidence of pregnant women with anaemia has increased and this accounts for about 20% of maternal mortality. This study therefore sought to investigate the knowledge and perception of the risk of anaemia during pregnancy and adherence to iron supplements among pregnant women in Ablekuma South. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among 384 pregnant women i...