The federal government has been urged to put higher emphasis on Group -based Well being Planning and Providers (CHPS) services in underserved city areas, as a method to enhance well being outcomes for the city poor.
In keeping with the Group-Led Responsive and Efficient City Well being Programs (CHORUS), strengthening CHPS in cities holds immerse potential to handle well being inequalities in fast-growing city communities.
Talking at a media capacity-building workshop and stakeholders’ discussion board in Accra, Professor Irene Agyepong, Chief Government Officer of CHORUS, mentioned that whereas CHPS compounds have been broadly profitable in rural areas, their potential stays underused in city settings resulting from a number of structural and consciousness obstacles.
“Pharmacies and drug shops are presently the most typical first level of care in city communities, whereas CHPS compounds stay the least utilized,” Prof. Agyepong disclosed, citing findings from CHORUS Part I and II analysis.
She defined that top inhabitants density and infrastructural limitations in city areas have made it troublesome to determine and preserve CHPS compounds, regardless of their effectiveness in enhancing healthcare supply in rural Ghana the place formal well being services are sparse.
The Chief Government Officer mentioned CHORUS analysis, performed in 4 city municipalities—La-Nkwantanang Madina, Ashaiman, Ayawaso East, and Ayawaso North—revealed a number of regarding tendencies.
Amongst them she mentioned was CHPS compounds are hardly ever used, with most city residents in search of care from personal pharmacies or maternity houses, public consciousness of CHPS typically restricted to youngster welfare providers, with little understanding of its broader preventive and promotive well being features, notably for non-communicable illnesses (NCDs).
Others had been solely 19.8per cent of households reported receiving a house go to from a Group Well being Officer (CHO) or Group Well being Nurse (CHN) inside the previous six months, many CHOs and CHNs lack important logistics and coaching in rising city well being considerations similar to NCDs, psychological well being, and household planning.
Regardless of these challenges, Prof. Agyepong expressed confidence that the CHPS mannequin may be tailored efficiently to city environments with the correct interventions.
“With focused funding, logistics assist, neighborhood engagement, and sustained public schooling, we will replicate the agricultural CHPS success story in city Ghana,” she acknowledged.
She additionally emphasised the significance of the media in shaping well being behaviours and bridging the communication hole between communities, policymakers, and researchers.
“The media performs a key function in translating analysis findings into relatable messages that empower residents. You’re very important companions in selling city well being,” Prof. Agyepong added.
She recommended journalists for his or her ongoing assist of the CHORUS venture and known as for continued collaboration to push city well being larger on the nationwide agenda.
CHORUS is a six-year worldwide analysis consortium funded by UK Assist and applied in Ghana, Nigeria, Bangladesh and Nepal. In Ghana, the venture is led by the College of Ghana Faculty of Public Well being and goals to strengthen the hyperlinks between communities, native governments, and well being programs to enhance well being outcomes in city poor communities
By Benedicta Gyimaah Folley
