CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH PATRONAGE OF SKILLED DELIVERY SERVICES BY PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED WOMEN IN THE TAMALE METROPOLIS

Abstract

The United Nations‟ Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities guarantees persons with disabilities the same level of right to access quality and affordable healthcare, including sexual and reproductive healthcare services, as persons without disability, unfortunately, persons with disabilities are still one of the most marginalised and socially excluded groups in many countries including Ghana. The objective of this study was to explore the challenges associated with patronage of skilled delivery services by physically challenged women in the tamale metropolis. A cross-sectional qualitative study was conducted among 12 physically challenged women. Data was collected using semi-structured questionnaire through interviews. The physically challenged women were interviewed and additional interviews were conducted among their husbands/relatives and midwives as a complementary information. A snow ball sampling method was used to select eligible respondents. The data were analyzed using a thematic framework approach. Seventy-five per cent of women with disability interviewed said they delivered their last child in a health facility assisted by a health staff. About 92% indicated that, deliveries conducted by midwives in health facilities are described as skilled deliveries. Staff attitude, cost of services, inadequate family support, the attitude of other health seekers and lastly, infrastructure not being disability friendly were the major challenges faced by physically challenged women in accessing skilled delivery services: About 83% indicated that provision of skilled delivery services in the study area was bad. Knowledge of physically challenged women on skilled delivery services was fairly high whiles patronage of skilled delivery services was slightly low among disabled women in the study and are due to challenges such as negative staff attitude, cost of services, inadequate family support, the attitude of other health seekers and infrastructure not disability-friendly. In order to improve the prevailing situation, the Ghana Health Service should provide the needed infrastructure and also intensify its campaign on the need for every pregnant woman, including physically challenged women in labour to be attended to or supervised by a skilled attendant.