Abstract:
Despite the double burden of infectious and chronic non-communicable diseases in Africa,
health care expenditure disproportionately favours infectious diseases. In this paper, we
examine quantitatively the extent of this disproportionate access to diagnoses and treatment
of diabetes, hypertension and malaria in Ghana. A total of 220 health facilities was surveyed
across the country in 2011. Findings indicate that diagnoses and treatment of infectious diseases
were more accessible than NCDs. In terms of treatment, 78% and 87% of health facilities
had two of the recommended malaria drugs while less than 35% had essential diabetes
and hypertension drugs. There is a significant unmet need for diagnoses and treatment of
NCDs in Ghana. These inequities have implications for high morbidity and mortality from
NCDs. We recommend the use of task shifting as a model to increase the delivery of NCD
services.
