ABSTRACT
This thesis assessed quantitatively, the improvement of drug availability at two district
hospitals, two urban and two rural health centres in the Ashanti Region of Ghana after the
introduction of “Cash and Carry” policy in the country. The supply situation of these public
institutions in both periods was compared to the coverage of the facilities by using panel data
analysis. As an input to the debate on the design of the national health insurance scheme, the
work also used contingent valuation methods to assess the willingness of patients to change
their current out of pocket payment system for drugs.
On average the percentages of desired drug quantities and drug types that were
supplied increased remarkably. The findings on coverage trends were mixed. One of each of
the two facilities in the rural, urban and district communities had its coverage reduced in the
post period while the other ones in the same community types had theirs improved.
The study re-emphasises the importance of drugs in the delivery of health care in the
public health institutions in Ghana. The relative negative responsiveness of coverage to price
changes in the pre-period was greater than the post-period, implying that patients are more
likely to pay higher fees in improved quality periods. There was also high acceptance of prepayment scheme for drugs in these communities.
The improvement in quality of care like drug availability has a big role to play in the
delivery of health care in Ghana. There is the need to minimise the effects of the noticeable
bottlenecks in the improvement of quality of care like management inefficiencies, under
staffing in remote areas and the unfunctional credit facilities set up for the needy in society. It
is also recommended that there should be a simple and selective, but affordable health
insurance package for drugs to at least serve as a start for the implementation of the national
health insurance policy that has remained a dream for more than a decade.
CDR, C (2021). Trade-Off Between Price And Improvement In Quality Of Service On Utilisation Of Public Health Facilities In The Ashanti Region Of Ghana. Afribary.com: Retrieved April 11, 2021, from https://afribary.com/works/trade-off-between-price-and-improvement-in-quality-of-service-on-utilisation-of-public-health-facilities-in-the-ashanti-region-of-ghana
Coalition, CDR. "Trade-Off Between Price And Improvement In Quality Of Service On Utilisation Of Public Health Facilities In The Ashanti Region Of Ghana" Afribary.com. Afribary.com, 06 Apr. 2021, https://afribary.com/works/trade-off-between-price-and-improvement-in-quality-of-service-on-utilisation-of-public-health-facilities-in-the-ashanti-region-of-ghana . Accessed 11 Apr. 2021.
Coalition, CDR. "Trade-Off Between Price And Improvement In Quality Of Service On Utilisation Of Public Health Facilities In The Ashanti Region Of Ghana". Afribary.com, Afribary.com, 06 Apr. 2021. Web. 11 Apr. 2021. < https://afribary.com/works/trade-off-between-price-and-improvement-in-quality-of-service-on-utilisation-of-public-health-facilities-in-the-ashanti-region-of-ghana >.
Coalition, CDR. "Trade-Off Between Price And Improvement In Quality Of Service On Utilisation Of Public Health Facilities In The Ashanti Region Of Ghana" Afribary.com (2021). Accessed April 11, 2021. https://afribary.com/works/trade-off-between-price-and-improvement-in-quality-of-service-on-utilisation-of-public-health-facilities-in-the-ashanti-region-of-ghana