ASSESSING THE FACTORS INFLUENCING UTILIZATION OF FAMILY PLANNING SERVICES AT THE COMMUNITY-BASED HEALTH PLANNING SERVICES (CHPS) IN THE BONGO DISTRICT OF THE UPPER EAST REGION OF GHANA.

Abstract

The experimentation and final adaptation of the Community –based Health Planning and Service (CHPS) as a policy option to address the concerns of access to healthcare is perhaps one of the innovative outcomes made to confront the myriad of developmental challenges facing access to healthcare in sub Saharan African including Ghana. Several studies that have so far been conducted on the CHPS strategy gives premium to the CHPS strategy by concentrating on Immunization with only a cursory remarks made on their core mandate. This study therefore examines how the inception of CHPS has affected the patronage of family planning at the communities where they are established in the Bongo District. Employing both qualitative and quantitative (mix method) methods of data collection using tools such as questionnaires, focus group discussion guides, key informant interviews guides, this study provide both empirical and theoretical clarifications on the services rendered at the CHPS especially family planning services. The study found out that majority of the people in the Bongo district who use the services of the CHPS were women in their reproductive age group. The study also revealed that majority of the men in the selected communities for the study did not use and practice family planning methods this they attributed to traditional and religious beliefs and to them is a taboo to practice family planning. The study further revealed that the Community Health Officers working in the various CHPS are accommodative and that they understand their problems very well. The study indicated that the CHPS faces series of challenges such as lack of logistics, poor accommodation for health staff, lack of electricity and difficult in maintaining the cold chain. This study therefore recommend that logistics should be provided for effective running of CHPS.