Healthcare In Ghana Research Articles

The 'STRICT' framework for promoting effective malaria control in Ghana.

Malaria remains a significant public health burden, necessitating evidence-based strategies to reduce prevalence and associated morbidity. This study explores the potential of integrated healthcare, encompassing both modern and traditional herbal medicine (THM), for malaria control in Ghana. Employing a qualitative approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with medical doctors, pharmacists, and THM providers. Thematic analysis approach was utilized to inductively analyse interview data and integrate participants' lived experiences and suggestions. Six themes emerged: Standardization of THM practice; Training on THM broadened; Research on THM expanded; Increasing awareness of THM integration hospitals and inclusion of THM in national health insurance scheme; Constant supply of certified herbal medications; and Tax relief provision. These recommendations form the 'STRICT' framework for developing functional health system for promoting an effective malaria control through integrated healthcare in Ghana. It was evident that the 'STRICT' framework can potentially transform healthcare delivery and improve service quality for malaria patients. Policymakers, healthcare providers, and managers can utilize these insights to advocate for and implement integrated healthcare strategies, ultimately enhancing service delivery for all Ghanaians, particularly those suffering from malaria.

Demystifying the Black Box: A Technical Analysis of Transparency Requirements in Clinical AI Systems

This analysis examines the adequacy of Ghana's current regulatory framework in addressing AI explainability in clinical decision support systems. It evaluates existing healthcare laws, derives underlying principles, and assesses their application to AI governance. The study finds significant gaps in the current regulatory regime, including a lack of AI-specific provisions, insufficient explainability requirements, and inadequate frameworks for liability and accountability. While existing principles provide a foundation, they are insufficient to fully address the challenges posed by AI in healthcare. The analysis concludes that comprehensive regulatory development is needed, including AI-specific healthcare regulations, technical standards for explainability, and enhanced regulatory capacity. This study is significant as it provides a roadmap for developing effective AI explainability regulations in Ghana's healthcare sector. It highlights the urgent need for regulatory evolution to ensure safe, ethical, and transparent use of AI in clinical decision support, potentially serving as a model for other developing nations facing similar challenges.

Ensuring AI Algorithm Fairness in Healthcare Decision-Making

This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of artificial intelligence (AI) implementation in Ghana's healthcare system, synthesizing findings from recent Ghanaian studies. It examines legal and regulatory frameworks, ethical considerations, bias and fairness, transparency and accountability, interdisciplinary approaches, patient rights and data protection, healthcare access and equity, and implementation and oversight. The analysis reveals both significant opportunities for AI to improve healthcare delivery in Ghana and substantial challenges in ensuring its ethical, equitable, and effective implementation. Key findings highlight the need for AI-specific healthcare regulations, investment in local capacity building, culturally sensitive AI design, robust fairness and accountability mechanisms, and ongoing stakeholder engagement. This paper contributes to the discourse on AI in healthcare in developing countries, offering insights into the unique challenges faced by lower-middle-income countries. It aims to inform evidence-based policymaking and enrich academic understanding of AI implementation in diverse cultural and economic contexts.

MHealth and Digital Innovations as Catalysts for Transforming Mental Health Care in Ghana.

mHealth and Digital Innovations as Catalysts for Transforming Mental Health Care in Ghana.

Perspectives of psychiatric nurses on the stigmatization of mental healthcare in Ghana: a qualitative study.

Stigma surrounding mental illness has been identified as a major bane of psychiatric care in many low- and middle-income countries. Mental illness stigma affects both the sufferer and their care providers, including families and psychiatric care providers. In Ghana, attention toward psychiatric care is limited. This article provides qualitative insights on interpersonal and structural stigma experiences of psychiatric nurses from the Ankaful Psychiatric Hospital, Ghana, and the impact of these stigmas on psychiatric care provision in Ghana. The article addresses relevant gap in the literature on the impact of mental illness stigma experiences among psychiatric nurses in low- and middle-income countries. Using a qualitative research approach, this study draws from the experiences and perspectives of stigma among psychiatric nurses from the Ankaful Psychiatric Hospital. Fourteen registered psychiatric nurses were recruited and interviewed using semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions. A thematic analysis approach was adopted to analyze the data. Coding and analysis were done in NVivo 12, aiding in the analysis of major themes and subthemes that emerged from the data. The study was conducted remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic travel restrictions. Themes identified include social and structural stigmas toward psychiatric nurses and the impact of these stigmas on mental healthcare in Ghana. While social stigma makes psychiatric nursing a difficult career choice for many, structural stigma-resulting from governmental neglect and lack of material resource provision-presents difficulties for nurses and other psychiatric care providers in the exercise of their care duties, which negatively impacts care provision for persons with mental health issues. The relevance of the experiences and perspectives of psychiatric nurses on mental illness stigma cannot be overlooked in the effort to promote mental illness advocacy, treatment seeking, and improve psychiatry. This article provides insights into the stigma experiences of psychiatric nurses and the impact of these stigmas on mental healthcare provision in Ghana. The study contributes to efforts to improve mental healthcare policymaking and advocacy.

Poverty as a Hindrance to Accessing Quality Healthcare in Ghana: A Theological and Pastoral Reflection

Access to quality healthcare is a key requirement in every modern society. In developed countries, majority of the populace has access to quality and affordable healthcare. However, in developing countries such as Ghana, hospitals with quality infrastructure, healthcare equipment, drugs, and well-trained health practitioners are limited and expensive to access. Given the significant number of people living in extreme poverty in Ghana, it is not surprising that many people experience deterioration in their health and eventually die due to the inability to access and/or afford quality healthcare. In the current situation, where economic hardship keeps increasing in the country, there is a need to engage in a discussion on how healthcare can be made available and affordable to people of all economic classes. The purpose of this paper, therefore, is to assess the limitations that poverty places on people in their quest to access healthcare and offer solutions from theological and pastoral perspectives. This paper employed qualitative and historical descriptive research designs to describe the current state of affairs of the impact that poverty has on access to health care in Ghana. The paper used data collected from secondary sources such as books, journal articles and dissertations. After a careful analysis of the subject matter from the Ghanaian and biblical perspectives, the paper made recommendations for the nation (Ghana), the church, and all stakeholders to contribute to the provision of quality, accessible, and affordable healthcare for all irrespective of one’s financial background or economic status. Keywords: Poverty, Hindrance, Quality Health, Ghana

Accessibility and utilization of health-care services among rural–urban migrants in Ghana: A scoping review

Since the second half of the 20th century, internal migration patterns in Ghana have been dominated by movements from rural (or northern) to urban (or southern) areas. Numerous studies report wide socioeconomic gaps between the geographical north and south of Ghana, explaining the unidirectional movement in search of better opportunities. Differences in personal health profiles, values, and beliefs mean that internal migrants face a higher risk of ill health than urban natives. Compounding this issue is the barriers that impede their access to and utilization of health-care services. We synthesized evidence from existing literature to understand internal migrants’ access to and utilization of healthcare in Ghana, as well as their coping strategies. This review followed Arksey and O’Malley’s guidelines for conducting scoping reviews. We searched PubMed, EconLit, CINAHL, PsychINFO, and Medline (Ovid) electronic databases for studies published from January 2012 to June 2022. In addition, a manual literature search was conducted on Google by examining the reference lists of selected articles to identify other relevant studies. The majority of the studies (n = 12 [75%]) focused on female migrants, while 4 (25%) included both male and female migrants. This review identified several factors affecting access to health-care services for internal migrants in Ghana. These factors included infrastructural, financial, and language barriers, as well as long patient waiting times. Significantly, these barriers resulted in increased self-medication and self-diagnosis among internal migrants, leading to overall poor health outcomes. Based on the study findings, we propose a multidimensional approach to bridging the health access gap for internal migrants. This approach involves improving health system factors such as health service delivery, health workforce, availability of essential medicines, and health finance reforms to provide quality health-care services at affordable or no cost, while considering the socioeconomic and cultural conditions of the internal migrants.

Burden of out-of-pocket payment for maternal healthcare and its catastrophic effects in the era of free maternal and child health policy in Ghana

BackgroundGhana introduced a free maternal healthcare policy within its national health insurance program in 2008. Despite this, there are reports of significant out-of-pocket (OOP) payments for maternal healthcare in Ghana. This study examines OOP payments for maternal healthcare services and their catastrophic effects, including the correlates of catastrophic OOP payments. MethodsCross-sectional quantitative data were collected from 414 mothers through health facility exit interviews in two regions of Ghana. Catastrophic OOP payments were computed by expressing total health expenditure as a percentage of household total expenditure and non-food expenditure at various thresholds (5 %, 10 %, 20 % and 25 %). The correlates of catastrophic OOP payments were assessed using logistic regression models. ResultsThe median OOP payments for maternal healthcare was GH₵866.5(US$109.3). The median non-medical OOP cost (GH₵479[US$ 59.9]) was higher than the median medical OOP cost (GH₵296.5[US$ 37.1]). The median OOP cost was higher for delivery (GH₵454[US$56.8]) compared to ANC (GH₵356.5[US$44.5]) and PNC (GH₵21.5[US$2.6]). Non-medical supplies comprise 58 % of the total OOP payments. About 73 % and 90 % of respondents spent more than 5 % of their annual household total and non-food expenditure on maternal healthcare, respectively. Rural areas and care at private facilities were significantly associated (AORs<1; p-values<0.05) with lower probabilities of incurring catastrophic OOP expenditure. Tertiary education was associated (AORs> 1; p-values<0.05) with a higher probability of incurring catastrophic OOP payments. ConclusionOOP payments for maternal care are still prevalent in Ghana. We call for a reform of Ghana’s free maternal healthcare policy to include non-medical supplies within its benefit package.

Maternal health care for women with disabilities: perspectives of health professionals in Ghana

In many developing countries, like Ghana, persons with disability face a lot of marginalisation and discrimination. Despite WHO’s assertion that disabled persons deserve equal access to healthcare, disparities remain. Health professionals play a pivotal role in reducing maternal mortality. Yet few studies engage professionals to understand these perceptions and how they shape service provision. This highlights the need for research investigating health professionals’ perceptions of delivering maternal healthcare to women with disabilities in Ghana. With the aid of a qualitative approach, this study explored the perceptions of healthcare professionals on disabled women who sought maternal healthcare in Ghana. Data was gathered from 25 healthcare workers, consisting of midwives and doctors. The thematic analysis uncovered two contrasting themes—positive perceptions highlighting the determination and strength of disabled women and negative perceptions shaped by cultural biases questioning the need for disabled women to become pregnant. Bridging this gap necessitates comprehensive training, patient-centred collaborative approaches, and anti-discrimination policies to establish an equitable Ghanaian healthcare system that safeguards the reproductive rights and options of pregnant and disabled women. Dedication from all stakeholders is imperative to ensure inclusiveness and fair treatment.

Implementation of the World Health Organization's QualityRights initiative in Ghana: an overview.

Globally, human rights violations experienced by persons with psychosocial, intellectual or cognitive disabilities continue to be a concern. The World Health Organization's (WHO) QualityRights initiative presents practical remedies to address these abuses. This paper presents an overview of the implementation of the initiative in Ghana. The main objective of the QualityRights initiative in Ghana was to train and change attitudes among a wide range of stakeholders to promote recovery and respect for human rights for people with psychosocial, intellectual and cognitive disabilities. Reports of in-person and online training, minutes of meetings and correspondence among stakeholders of the QualityRights initiative in Ghana, including activities of international collaborators, were analysed to shed light on the implementation of the project in Ghana. In-person and online e-training on mental health were conducted. At the time of writing, 40 443 people had registered for the training, 25 416 had started the training and 20 865 people had completed the training and obtained a certificate. The team conducted 27 in-person training sessions with 910 people. The successful implementation of the project is underpinned by a committed partnership among stakeholders, strong leadership from the coordinating agency, the acceptance of the initiative and the outcome. A few challenges, both in implementation and acceptance, are discussed. The exposure of the WHO QualityRights initiative to a substantial number of key stakeholders involved in mental healthcare in Ghana is critical to reducing human rights abuses for people with psychosocial, intellectual and cognitive disabilities.

A mixed method study on the impact of COVID-19 on mental healthcare in Ghana: rethinking mental health service delivery.

Since its emergence, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused severe health, social and economic challenges. Mental healthcare has been significantly affected globally, and even worse in developing countries. An emerging economy like Ghana in West Africa was not spared its disruptive effects. This study aimed to elucidate the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic (caused by SARS-CoV-2), on Ghana's mental healthcare system. This is a mixed-method study using an emergent sequential exploratory design. A total of 15 front-line healthcare professionals were recruited from the three psychiatric hospitals, including the mental health department of a new teaching hospital in Ghana. Purposive sampling techniques and a semi-structured interview approach were used for recruitment and data collection. Quantitative data from hospital registries were collected and analysed to triangulate qualitative findings. Fifteen mental health workers were enrolled in the study. The mean age of participants was (34.47 ± 4.07) years, average work experience of (6.23 ± 3.64) years and the majority as males (60%). This study found an average decline of 23% in hospital attendance and a 35% decline in admissions in all four facilities compared to the previous year, 2019. The lived experiences shared by mental healthcare providers were grouped under 3 main themes: Adjustments to workplace regulations, accessibility to mental healthcare, and psychological wellbeing of mental healthcare workers. The fear of contracting SARS-CoV-2 among healthcare workers, medication shortages, and logistical challenges were also reported to affect Mental Health services during the pandemic. This study highlights the challenges in mental healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana. The experiences encountered present an opportunity to gain insights into future pandemic preparedness and establish a framework for optimal mental healthcare delivery in Ghana.

Inverting the deficit model in global mental health: An examination of strengths and assets of community mental health care in Ghana, India, Occupied Palestinian territories, and South Africa.

Global mental health [GMH] scholarship and practice has typically focused on the unmet needs and barriers to mental health in communities, developing biomedical and psychosocial interventions for integration into formal health care platforms in response. In this article, we analyse four diverse settings to disrupt the emphasises on health system weaknesses, treatment gaps and barriers which can perpetuate harmful hierarchies and colonial and medical assumptions, or a 'deficit model'. We draw on the experiential knowledge of community mental health practitioners and researchers working in Ghana, India, the Occupied Palestinian Territory and South Africa to describe key assets existing in 'informal' community mental health care systems and how these are shaped by socio-political contexts. These qualitative case studies emerged from an online mutual learning process convened between 39 academic and community-based collaborators working in 24 countries who interrogated key tenets to inform a social paradigm for global mental health. Bringing together diverse expertise gained from professional practice and research, our sub-group explored the role of Community Mental Health Systems in GMH through comparative country case studies describing the features of community care beyond the health and social care system. We found that the socio-political health determinants of global economic structures in all four countries exert significant influence on local community health systems. We identified that key assets across sites included: family and community care, and support from non-profit organisations and religious and faith-based organisations. Strengthening community assets may promote reciprocal relationships between the formal and informal sectors, providing resources for support and training for communities while communities collaborate in the design and delivery of interventions rooted in localised expertise. This paper highlights the value of informal care, the unique social structures of each local context, and resources within local communities as key existing assets for mental health.

KNUST aging and human immunodeficiency virus outcomes-Study protocol.

Globally, 7 million people with HIV (PWH) aged over 50 years exist. 5 million of them live in sub-Saharan Africa, the epicenter of the HIV epidemic. In Ghana, every 1 in 6 PWH is aged over 50 years. However, access to geriatric health care is grossly limited in Ghana and the sub-Saharan Africa region. This has resulted in a lack of focus on geriatric syndromes, a multi-factorial clinical condition common in older PWH, that do not fit discrete disease categories. Consequently, this gap threatens the life expectancy for aging PWH, necessitating the need to promptly fill it. The KNUST Aging and HIV Outcomes (KAHO) study will help identify priorities and opportunities for developing an effective integrated model of HIV and geriatric healthcare in Ghana. The KAHO study will recruit 151 PWH aged 50 years and older at the Infectious Disease Unit (IDU) of the University Hospital, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). The study will be conducted over a 2-year period and participants will be seen at months 0, 6 and 12. Participants at each visit will be taken through assessments and questionnaires on geriatric health, cognition, social vulnerability, HIV-related conditions and they will provide biospecimens for laboratory testing. We will also conduct semi-structured qualitative interviews of PWH, healthcare providers, policy makers and study research assistants. Quantitative data will be analyzed using one sample proportion test and linear regression models appropriately. The Levesque's framework will be used as a guide to analyze qualitative data.

Barriers to school-based health programs implementation in basic schools in Ghana: education stakeholders' perspective.

School health has been identified as a neglected aspect of primary health care in Ghana, leading to compromised health, well-being and life satisfaction among students. To address this concern, this study identified the barriers hindering the implementation of school-based health programs in Ghana. It employed a qualitative approach, including 116 respondents who participated in interviews. The collected data were analyzed using thematic analysis with the aid of NVivo software. In line with the research objective, findings show that the implementation of school-based health programs faces several teething challenges that serve as barriers to the success and sustainability of the programs. These barriers included resource constraints; a lack of adequate parental and community participation and a lack of adequate collaboration between stakeholders' management and leadership issues, governance issues and political issues. The findings from the study have a relevant and innovative contribution to achieving good health and well-being and quality education as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals and shaping primary healthcare management in the context of a developing country. It recommends that policymakers and health practitioners pay special attention to school-based health programs as a key strategy for primary health care management in developing countries.

Marginalization and women's healthcare in Ghana: Incorporating colonial origins, unveiling women's knowledge, and empowering voices.

The origins of marginalization in nursing and the health sector in Ghana can be traced to colonialism and how a colonial era laid a solid foundation for inequities and entrenched disparities, as well as the subsequent normalization of marginalizing acts, in the health sector, particularly for women. Drawing upon varied literature over a 60-year period and perspectives from feminist theory, this paper considers the lasting impact of Ghanaian women's historical position during the colonial era and within the patriarchal system that ensued. Through this process, it becomes possible to shed light on the crucial role that colonialism has played in women's experiences, perspectives, and health-seeking behaviors, and the manner in which it has created a healthcare sector that marginalizes women's health. Although women possess valuable knowledge which should be an asset to consider when providing healthcare services, marginalization of that knowledge has become normalized across society and the healthcare system. There is an urgent need to disrupt and challenge this normalization, and to advocate empowerment and recognition of women's valuable knowledge and experiences, providing women a voice in health decision-making discourses and in the research processes by which we understand and develop healthcare. Through this, healthcare in Ghana could become more empowering, inclusive, and responsive to the unique experiences and needs of Ghanaian women. By understanding something of the historical origins of women's health marginalization within colonialism, nurses can begin to appreciate women's knowledge and integrate it into healthcare strategies that are more gender-sensitive and equitable.

Advancements in Ai for Ultrasound-guided Sub-arachnoid Block: Implications for Ghana's Healthcare Sector

Ultrasound-guided sub-arachnoid block (UGSAB) is a medical procedure commonly used in anesthesia to provide pain relief during surgeries or childbirth. In recent years, advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) have shown promising potential to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of UGSAB. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive overview on UGSAB and discuss its implications for Ghana's healthcare sector. AI technology has the ability to analyze large amounts of data quickly and accurately, making it an ideal tool for improving medical procedures such as UGSAB. By utilizing AI algorithms, ultrasound images can be processed and analyzed in real-time, providing healthcare professionals with valuable information about needle placement and patient anatomy. This not only reduces the risk of complications but also improves the overall success rate of UGSAB. In Ghana, where access to specialized healthcare services is limited, the integration of AI into UGSAB could have significant implications. With a shortage of skilled anesthesiologists and limited resources, AI can bridge the gap by assisting less-experienced healthcare professionals in performing UGSAB procedures accurately. This would ensure that patients receive optimal pain relief during surgeries or childbirth, even in remote areas where access to specialists is scarce. Moreover, AI-powered UGSAB has the potential to reduce healthcare costs significantly. By minimizing complications associated with incorrect needle placement or inadequate anesthesia levels, hospitals can avoid costly follow-up treatments or legal disputes. Additionally, AI algorithms can optimize drug dosages based on individual patient characteristics, reducing wastage and saving resources. However, it is important to acknowledge that integrating AI into Ghana's healthcare sector comes with challenges. The lack of infrastructure and trained personnel proficient in using AI technology may hinder its widespread adoption. To overcome these barriers, investment in training programs for healthcare professionals should be prioritized alongside infrastructure development. In conclusion, advancements in AI for ultrasound-guided sub-arachnoid block hold great potential for Ghana's healthcare sector. By improving the accuracy and efficiency of UGSAB procedures, AI can enhance patient outcomes, reduce healthcare costs, and bridge the gap in access to specialized anesthesia services. However, addressing challenges related to infrastructure and training is crucial for successful implementation.

Prevalence, Awareness, and Control of Hypertensive Disorders amongst Pregnant Women Seeking Healthcare in Ghana.

Hypertensive disorders in pregnancy (HDPs) are no longer seen as "transitory diseases cured by delivery." It accounts for up to 50% of maternal deaths. Information concerning HDPs is less in developing countries like Ghana. This study was conducted to find out the prevalence, awareness, risk factors, control, and the birth outcomes of HDPs. This was a retrospective cohort study conducted among pregnant women seeking care in selected health facilities in the Ashanti Region. Data on demographics, HDPs, and its associated birth outcomes were collected. Logistic regression models were used to examine the association of the independent variables with HDPs. The burden of HDPs was 37.2% among the 500 mothers enrolled with chronic hypertension superimposed with preeclampsia accounting for 17.6%, chronic hypertension, 10.2%, and preeclampsia 6.8% whilst gestational hypertension was 2.6%. It was observed that 44% (220) of the mothers had excellent knowledge on HDPs. Oral nifedipine and methyldopa were frequently used for HDP management, and it resulted in a significant reduction in HDP burden from 37.2% to 26.6%. Factors that influenced the increased risk of HDPs were grand multigravida (AOR = 4.53; CI = 1.42-14.42), family history of hypertension (AOR = 3.61; CI = 1.89-6.90), and the consumption of herbal preparations (AOR = 2.92; CI = 1.15-7.41) and alcohol (AOR = 4.10; CI = 1.34-12.62) during pregnancy. HDPs increased the risk of preterm delivery (AOR = 2.66; CI = 1.29-5.89), stillbirth (AOR = 12.47; CI = 2.72-57.24), and undergoing caesarean section (AOR = 1.70; CI = 1.10-2.61) amongst mothers during delivery. The burden of HDPs is high amongst pregnant mothers seeking care in selected facilities. There is the need for intensified campaign on HDPs in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.

Effect of COVID-19 on dental care for children during the post-pandemic era in Ghana: A concern for policymaking

The impacts of COVID-19 have been felt globally, especially in the delivery of healthcare services such as dental care, although the incidence in Africa is comparatively low. This review article aims to explore the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown and its impact on dental care for children in Ghana. Some dental facilities in Ghana have been experiencing multiple challenges in service delivery, and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has aggravated the situation. The COVID-19 pandemic has interrupted all dental care in many parts of Ghana due to its impact on food insecurity, economic breakdown, depression, shortage of essential instrument supplies, inadequate health workers, and poor infection control practices, which present the main risks to dental care. Furthermore, the shutting of dental departments due to the COVID-19 lockdown has restricted the accessibility and utilization of dental services, especially for children. Hence, to avoid further and future pandemics and their impacts on dental care, there is a need to address the implications identified and prepare for the delivery of suitable dental healthcare in Ghana.

Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used to treat HIV, cancer and diabetes in some communities of Ashanti Region, Ghana

BackgroundMedicinal plants play important roles in primary healthcare in Ghana, where many are used to treat chronic diseases including HIV, diabetes mellitus, and cancer. However, there is little or no documentation on the medicinal uses of many of these plants. AimThis study sought to document plants used to treat HIV, diabetes, and cancer in some communities of the Ashanti Region, Ghana. Materials and methodsApproximately 107 herbalists were interviewed using validated questionnaires, and the data were duly analysed. The plants cited in the study were identified using a combination of approaches including local names, field photo guides, and voucher specimens. ResultsThe results showed that 44 plant species belonging to 26 families were used to treat the three diseases. The predominant families were Solanaceae, Dioscoreacea, Fabaceae, and Cucurbitaceae, with the major growth form being herbs. The herbalists used similar plant compositions for each disease, irrespective of the local community of practitioners. Most of the plants were prepared in the form of decoctions (84%) and infusions (11%). Only a few herbalists (21%) have documentation on their medicinal plants. Informant consensus factor (ICF) for diabetes was the highest, followed by cancer and then HIV. Fidelity level (FL) was highest in Morinda lucida (diabetes), Momordica balsamina (HIV), and Brassica oleracea (cancer). The authors claim the first documentation of nine plants with anti-cancer, anti-HIV, and anti-diabetic uses in Ghana. ConclusionThis study has inventoried plants used to manage cancer, HIV, and diabetes mellitus in nine communities in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.

Global economic meltdown and healthcare financing in Ghana.

Global economic meltdown and healthcare financing in Ghana.