News

News Published: 20 August 2024

Ghana: EUAA updates on the health landscape and availability of medical services

Child assessed by Doctor

The EUAA recently published five topical reports on the healthcare situation in Ghana, which provide information on the prevalence of gastroenterology, hepatitis, nephrology, AIDS, cardiovascular diseases, as well as the cost and access to treatment and medicines for these diseases. These reports complement ones published earlier this year, on diabetes mellitus, neurology, pulmonology, psychiatry and paediatrics.

Since the end of 2023, the European Union Agency for Asylum  has published a series of ten medical country of origin information (MedCOI) topical reports which complement a general report on Health Care Provision in Ghana published in July 2023. MedCOI topical reports focus on the costs of treatments and medications, while the General Report provides information on the structure of the healthcare system in Ghana, the public and private health sectors, the pharmaceutical sector as well as economic factors, such as insurance schemes and health expenditure.

Ghana has a complex burden of disease, present across different age, gender, location, and socio-economic status groups. The major health conditions affecting children are communicable diseases, with malaria prevailing. Moreover, maternal and neonatal health conditions remain challenging, especially in rural areas and amongst poor women. In addition, non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, cancers, eye disorders, genetic diseases, oral health conditions, mental health disorders, hypertension, strokes, and substance/medicine abuse are increasingly prevalent in the country’s population.

The organisation of Ghana’s health system is monitored by the Ministry of Health which acts both as policy maker and regulator. Healthcare services are provided by two public sector institutions, namely the Ghana Health Service and the Teaching Hospitals, as well as by private sector service providers. Both public and private health insurance schemes are available in Ghana. The public scheme, the National Health Insurance Scheme is available to all Ghanaians for use at all levels of care and covers a wide range of diagnosed conditions and related costs. 

Background

The EUAA regularly publishes Medical Country-of-Origin Information reports, which aim to provide accurate and reliable up-to-date information on third countries to support EU+ national asylum and migration authorities involved in migration and international protection procedures. The reports are written according to the EUAA COI Report Methodology and can be reviewed on the Agency’s Medical Country of Origin Information Portal

 

Download the reports