EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF CHPS ZONES IN PRIMARY HEALTH CARE DELIVERY IN THE NADOWLI DISTRICT, GHANA

Abstract

Extending the coverage of Primary Health Care (PHC) services to all Ghanaians regardless of age, sex, ethnic or socio-economic standing has been a matter of concern to government and development partners alike since the Alma Ata Conference on "Health for AIl" in 1977. Even though the Community-Based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) initiative has been viewed as an effective strategy for making PHC accessible to all in Ghana and for that matter the Nadowli District, many people continue to have minimal or no access to PHC services. The study sought to find out whether CHPS zones offered a viable option for increased access to Primary Health Care for the rural poor in the Nadowli District. In data coIlection, the researcher employed focus group discussions and administration of the questionnaire tool. Also, simple random and purposive sampling techniques were employed to select the CHPS zones and respondents. The study findings revealed that, CHPS zones offer a viable option for increased access to PHC for the rural poor in the Nadowli District, hence considered efficient and effective in PHC delivery. However, the study concluded that, the match towards the achievement of the intended purpose of CHPS zones to make PHC services accessible, available and affordable to all community members in an efficient and effective way was chaIlenged by the low coverage of health insurance in the District and some lapses identified in the operations of the CHPS zones. In this regard, the researcher recommends that, for PHC coverage to expand in the District, the DHMT and SDHMT with the support of the District Assembly should undertake regular sensitization programmes on community participation and health insurance registration. Again, stakeholders should make conscious efforts to improve the operations of the CHPS zones in order to respond fuIly to the Primary Health Care needs of community members in the Nadowli District.