Friday's Info

We had a very full day on Friday...we met Doris Ahelegbe the District Director of the Ajumaku District Health Directorate. She accompanied us to her district (about 1 and 1/2 hours away) for a tour of the Ghana Health Care System. This trip, partially because of very poor roads, took all day. Ghana provides health care for all of its citizens, but first they have to buy this health care...otherwise they private pay. Many Ghanaians do not buy health care (it is very cheap BUT most of the citizens are very poor). The HC system however is set up as the WHO recommends: Level A is where people can go to get minor issues resolved (first aid, minor infections, etc.)...this is called CHP Community Health Planning Services. The CHP we visited was manned by a (nursing?) student...but this is someone with SOME advanced medical training but does not have to be a nurse. She says she sees about 6 patients a day and if someone is supposed to come in but doesn't then they will go do a home visit.
The next level is Level B, which has a health center. This center is manned by an equivalent of our nurse practitioner or PA. We talked with "Suzie" who was posted there (all health care jobs are government jobs)...she says she doesn't see her husband often as he is posted elsewhere...and she is on call 24/7...she gets no days off. She will be granted a leave of usually about 1 week/year. This health care clinic sees abut 30-40 people/day...and does about the same number of home visits. Suzie has a staff of ancillary personnel to assist her.
The third level is Level C where the district hospital is (the main hospital was being built when we were there). They also handle some of the more serious cases of illness and disease.
The last level is Level D - this is the very large hospitals, like the one in Accra which has much more technology (MRIs but not PET scans,etc.) then the other levels and have 1000 or more beds. We will drive by the one in Accra but not visit this. Each level has protocols of what is appropriate for them to handle and when to refer.

All in all, the entire day was very enlightening...we did not get the impression that anyone would be turned away even if there was no insurance. There is not much technology and very basic medications, but they take health care and health promotion VERY seriously. There are lots of campaigns for malaria nets, HIV/AIDs, STIs, TB prevention and the list goes on and on.

When we got back to UCC, we changed and then went to another beach resort for dinner. The electricity was out, but they were able to grill our food (I had lobster and fries...very good!).