Mapping of Health Resources in Lower Manya Krobo Municipality in the Eastern Region of Ghana

Abstract

Variations in the distribution of health facilities have resulted in differences in health outcomes within the administrative districts of the country of which the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality is no exception. The primary objective of this study was to examine the distribution of health care resources in the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality in the Eastern Region of Ghana. A single case study approach was adopted, with the LMKM as the study area. The sampling frame for this study included all the health resources, facilities and their supporting service centers in the municipality. All functional health facilities in the municipality during the time of study were included in the study. The study partly utilized records of generated coordinates using the Geo positioning system (GPS) and other resources and services. The study unit was all health facilities within the municipality and the supporting centers, 285 clinical health workers were found in the municipality and it was observed that Odumase and Akuse, which happened to be the urban areas within the municipality, had high percentages of clinical health personnel. The population per single health worker ratio for the whole municipality was found to be 13201:1. The district had a total of 16 health facilities and 29 supporting centers. Agomanya had the highest number of facilities and supporting centers. There was a 15,086 population per health facility ratio. The study demonstrated the disparity in the distribution of health facilities across the municipality. There is the need to ensure distribution of all health resources is done in correspondence with the population size and the health needs of the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality.