Mental Health Service in Ghana: a Review of the Case

Mental health care in Ghana has been fraught with several challenges leading to stagnant growth in mental health service delivery and in some cases a severe depreciation in the nature of care. The Government of Ghana pays little or no attention to mental health care in the country, a situation that has led to poor service delivery in the three major psychiatric hospitals in Ghana. The implementation of the Ghana Mental Act of 2012 has also been faced with major challenges with no significant progress being made. This studytherefore sought to review and document the development of mental health care services in Ghana. Specifically, the study examined the various legislations on mental health that have been enacted in Ghana since 1900; investigated the implementation of the current Mental Health Act of Ghana; found out whether the Ghanaian government has prioritise mental health services in the country and assessed the challenges and problems that confronted mental health services in Ghana since 1900.The study concludes that, since 1888 efforts have been made by various governments to legislate the provision of mental services in Ghana. However, these legislations have not always protected the rights and interest of the mentally ill

Ebola Haemorrhagic Fever in Africa: a Necessary Highlight

The purpose of this commentary is to re-evaluate the historic and scientific facts on Ebola haemorrhagic fever and the role of the International community, especially Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in stemming the tide. It rehashes the argument on causes and prevention and draws attention of readers to emphasize the need for establishment of airport, sea port and border health posts with well drilled and efficient health professionals to be able to test, detect and quarantine persons with Ebola and treat them to prevent the spread of the disease from infected persons to primary or first contacts and secondary contacts. Significantly, countries in the West African sub-region are alarmed by the potential spread of the disease to countries that have hitherto been free of the disease. The potential global threat of the disease has been analysed and measures to be taken by countries within the West-African sub-region have been emphasized. This notwithstanding, does the declaration of countries as Ebola-free suggest the last of it

From Present African Health Care Systems to the Future: Health Financing in Ghana and Rwanda

That there is a positive correlation between healthy populations and socio-economic and human development is not in dispute. It is in countries’ interests, therefore, to aim to have healthy, productive citizens. A strong, well-functioning public health care system would go some way to realising this. In sub-Saharan Africa, the issue of how to finance health care and make it accessible to the majority of citizens is an ongoing challenge. While the overall intention behind The Structural Adjustment Programmes (SAPs) of the 1980s and 1990s was to assist development, the inadvertent result in many African countries that subscribed to SAPs was, in fact, the deepening of poverty and inequality

BOOK REVIEW The science of subjective well-being, Michael Eid, Randy J. Larsen (Editors), The Guilford Press, New York, 2008, 491pp. ISBN-13: 978-1606230732

Reviewed by Samuel Adu-Gyamfi Department of History and Political Studies, Kwame  Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana [email protected]

Science, Technology and Healthcare Delivery in Ghana: A Historical Perspective

In the last three decades, a number of studies have been undertaken concerning the impact of science and technological innovations on health sector reforms and responsive healthcare delivery in most countries globally. However, few of these studies are placed in historical context and/or focused particularly on the case of Ghana. In addition, such studies are mostly carried out in the biomedical and physical sciences with very few in the social sciences. Against this background, this paper draws experiences from health professionals in purposively selected institutions in Ghana and supported with critical review of related literature, to answer two central research questions. First, how has science and technological advancement effectively and efficiently supported healthcare delivery system in Ghana? Second, how have post-independence health sector reforms in Ghana been responsive to the needs of patients due to advances in science and technology? Based on empirical results, we argue in this paper that over the last few decades, advances in science and technology have significantly improved Ghana’s health delivery system and promoted responsive healthcare particularly in the area of orthodox medical services. However, the gains from advances in science and technology need to be strengthened by the Ministry of Health, Ghana Health Services and relevant stakeholders to improve health facilities and conditions especially in rural districts in the country

Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and Epidemic Diseases Vulnerabilities in Ghana: A Reflection on the Influenza Epidemic of 1918-1920

NCDs conditions such as hypertension and diabetes have featured in the top ten causes of mortalities and hospital admissions in Ghana for the past three decades. Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in the country, emerging evidence indicate that persons living with NCDs conditions, especially hypertension and diabetes suffered from severe COVID-19 complications and death. In the context of COVID-19 health outcomes and their association with NCDs underlining conditions, we ask: How has NCDs exacerbated health conditions of individuals during the outbreak of epidemic diseases? This research attempts to draw a linkage between NCDs and epidemic diseases vulnerabilities in Ghana, reflecting on the influenza epidemic also known as “Spanish Flu” of 1918 to 1920 of the Gold Coast (now Ghana). We argue among other things that traces of NCDs were observed in the Gold Coast but there is little evidence of an exacerbation of mortalities during the influenza epidemic, a reminiscent of COVID-19

Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and Epidemic Diseases Vulnerabilities in Ghana: A Reflection on the Influenza Epidemic of 1918-1920

NCDs conditions such as hypertension and diabetes have featured in the top ten causes of mortalities and hospital admissions in Ghana for the past three decades. Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in the country, emerging evidence indicate that persons living with NCDs conditions, especially hypertension and diabetes suffered from severe COVID-19 complications and death. In the context of COVID-19 health outcomes and their association with NCDs underlining conditions, we ask: How has NCDs exacerbated health conditions of individuals during the outbreak of epidemic diseases? This research attempts to draw a linkage between NCDs and epidemic diseases vulnerabilities in Ghana, reflecting on the influenza epidemic also known as “Spanish Flu” of 1918 to 1920 of the Gold Coast (now Ghana). We argue among other things that traces of NCDs were observed in the Gold Coast but there is little evidence of an exacerbation of mortalities during the influenza epidemic, a reminiscent of COVID-19

ANALYTICAL REVIEW OF THE INTERNAL FORCES ON AFRICA’S DEMOCRACY AND DEVELOPMENT

The article focuses on the internal forces that have influenced Africa’s Democracy over the past decades. It pays attention to the analyses of secondary literature that covers democracy and development with much emphasis on Africa. By this article Africa’s attention is drawn to best practices and appropriate ways of leading the Democratic future of the continent. Also, of primary interest is how Africa has underdeveloped itself. There is the need to persistently look at the future of Africa in terms of development

Ghana’s foreign policy: Some regional and national interests

Dr. Kwame Nkrumah`s Non-Aligned policy has been a key variable in Ghana`s foreign policy, and successive regimes after Nhrumah have pursued this policy in various ways. Since its political reforms in 1992, Ghana has established itself as an anchor in political dispensation on the African continent. In the sub-region, Ghana is seen by other countries as a leader by exhibiting its competences and maturity in political change and good governance, and its peacekeeping involvement in the subfield. Whiles Ghana takes credit for these attributes; her response to regional issues has not always been as readily forthcoming as in others. This paper seeks to analyze Ghana`s foreign policy directions in the sub-Saharan region, and ECOWAS. How consistence or inconsistence has Ghana been, in the implementation of foreign policy objectives within the ECOWAS, between the periods of 1992-2016. The paper leads the hypothesis that, lack of a well-defined and articulated defence policy document has somewhat resulted in inconsistencies in responding to crises in the region. 

Interest Groups, Issue Definition and the Politics of Healthcare in Ghana

The provision of healthcare in Ghana from the pre-colonial period to the 4th Republic has been characterized by struggles to maintain dominance. While the politics in the pre-independence period focused on the manner of providing healthcare, the post-independence period encapsulates healthcare financing. Using the interest groups theory, the study examines the manner and motive of healthcare management in Ghana. The study finds that a coalition of healthcare interest groups often comprising healthcare providers, government functionaries, bureaucrats, and the World Bank and IMF etc.,  (from the 1970s), uses the definition of healthcare management to maintain leverage in the management of healthcare. Healthcare management in the pre-colonial period was defined as interventionism while the colonial administration focused on scientific therapy. The post-colonial period witnessed a shift of focus to healthcare financing and Nkrumah’ government adopted free healthcare system financed by the state. The Busia’s government focused on sustainability based on payment of small user fee. The Rawling’s regime adopted cost recovery featuring cash and carry, and the Kuffour’s regime focused on a collective responsibility through the adoption of a national health insurance scheme as financing methods. The paper argues that the way healthcare delivery is defined enables governments and political systems to maintain leverage over its management and subsequently reap direct and indirect benefits of the leverage, which among others include the allegiance and legitimacy of the public.  The analysis helps to understand the process of health policymaking in Ghana and perhaps other sub Saharan African countries. Keywords: Healthcare management, sustainability, healthcare financing, interest groups, issues definition, policy paradigm