Abstract:
Background: Payment methods are known to influence maternal care delivery in health systems. Ghana suspended
a piloted capitation provider payment system after nearly five years of implementation. This study aimed to examine
the effects of Ghana’s capitation policy on maternal health care provision as part of lesson learning and bridging
this critical literature gap.
Methods: We used secondary data in the District Health Information Management System-2 and an interrupted
time series design to assess changes in level and trend in the provision of ANC4+ (visits of pregnant women making
at least the fourth antenatal care attendance per month), HB36 (number of hemoglobin tests conducted for pregnant
women who are at the 36th week of gestation) and vaginal delivery in capitated facilities-CHPS (Community-based
Health Planning and Services) facilities and hospitals.
Results: The results show that the capitation policy withdrawal was associated with a statistically significant trend
increase in the provision of ANC4+ in hospitals (coefficient 70.99 p < 0. 001) but no effect in CHPS facilities. Also, the
policy withdrawal resulted in contrasting effects in hospitals and CHPS in the trend of provision of Hb36; a statistically
significant decline was observed in CHPS (coefficient − 7.01, p < 0.05) while that of hospitals showed a statistically
significant trend increase (coefficient 32.87, p < 0.001). Finally, the policy withdrawal did not affect trends of vaginal
delivery rates in both CHPS and hospitals.
Conclusions: The capitation policy in Ghana appeared to have had a differential effect on the provision of maternal
services in both CHPS and hospitals; repressing maternal care provision in hospitals and promoting adherence to
anemia testing at term for pregnant women in CHPS facilities. Policy makers and stakeholders should consider the
possible detrimental effects on maternal care provision and quality in the design and implementation of per capita
primary care systems as they can potentially impact the achievement of SDG 3.
