Health Care Financing and Sustainability in Health Care Delivery in the Sunyani Municipality, Ghana.

Abstract

The study was to examine how public health facilities are financed in Ghana and its sustainability in the Sunyani municipality. The study used a descriptive survey design of the concurrent type of mixed approach. Stratified sampling technique was used to select 285 respondents while purposive sampling was used to select 14 key stakeholders in Sunyani Municipal of which questionnaires and interview guide were administered to them respectively. The data were analysed descriptively while thematic analysis was done for the qualitative data. The study found out that sources for funding Ghana health care delivery included: government subventions, National Health Insurance, Internally Generated Fund, out-of-pocket payment, taxation as well as private insurance. Also, clients were not willing to pay for improved health care delivery in Sunyani Municipal due to low income and education. Moreover, delay in payment of NHIS subventions by the government, misappropriation of funds, weak supervision, monitoring and evaluation of health care and political interferences were the challenges of funding health care delivery. It is therefore, recommended that the government should release the subvention for NHIS service providers and health care facilities on time and increasing the premiums and tariffs of NHIS yearly.