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Equitable allocation of health care resources is crucial for promoting health equity. Since the emergence of the resource allocation working party (RAWP) formula nearly three decades ago, many countries have implemented resource allocation policy reforms aiming to improve equity. Little is known about whether, how and the extent to which, most of these policies have actually improved equity. This study examined whether, and the extent to which, decentralisation of health resource allocation decision-making in Ghana has improved equity in funding within regions and explored the factors that influenced the equitable allocation of resources for health care in Ghana. The study used a mixture of quantitative and qualitative methods. Two of the ten regions in Ghana: Ashanti and Northern, covering the southern and northern sectors of the country, were purposefully selected. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to measure levels of relative deprivation of districts applied as a proxy of need. An equity-adjusted share index (EAS) was developed and used as a yardstick against which equity in funding was assessed. Factors influencing the equitable allocation of resources were explored qualitatively through open-ended interviews with policy makers and other health sector stakeholders. The study found that resource allocation in the Ashanti and Northern Regions were largely inequitable, in terms of differentially benefiting the most disadvantaged districts. The proportion of variance in the actual share of funds that could be explained by the predicted EAS was below 50% for all the years examined, except for the allocation of government funds to the Ashanti Region for 1999, where the proportion of variance was 56%. Resource allocation in the Northern Region favoured three urban districts over their rural counterparts. However, in the Ashanti Region, there was a significant shift in resources from richer to poorer districts from 2000 to 2002. The Kumasi Metro district, for example, saw its share of donor-pooled funds reduced drastically from 20% of the total budget in 2000 to 7.2% in 2001 and 5.6% in 2002. Key factors influencing resource allocation and equity included low funding of the health system, local capacity to utilise funds efficiently, manpower availability, politics, donor influence and the nature of collaboration with the local government. The study concluded that intra-regional resource allocation in Ghana???s Ashanti and Northern regions was less equitable than expected, despite efforts to redistribute funds. It recommended more effective mechanisms for promoting equity through intra-regional resource allocation in Ghana.

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Science journalism has been studied from the perspectives of science journalists in the West. However, studies of science journalism from the perspectives of general reporters in developing or developed countries are scarce. This study was a survey of general reporters in Ghana belonging to the Ghana Journalists Association. In all, 151 members responded to a self-administered questionnaire that the researcher delivered to their worksites and a central location. Respondents were asked mainly about their demographic and professional characteristics, sources used for reporting science, number of science stories reported in the past 12 months, topics of science reporting interest, factors motivating or serving as barriers to science reporting, and the future of science journalism in Ghana. Data were analyzed using statistical tools and content analysis. The demographic and professional characteristics resembled those found previously in Ghana and elsewhere. The most commonly cited format of science journalism training was workshops or seminars after graduation. Health professionals and scientists were perceived as very important sources for science stories, and the respondents recalled interviewing them more frequently than others. Generally, respondents reported writing more science news stories than science features. There was an inverse correlation between the number of years spent in journalism and the number of science features reported (p = 0.017). Health science was the most commonly cited topic of reporting interest. Most respondents indicated that training in science journalism or access to scientific research findings would motivate them to report science more. Many cited lack of training in science reporting or lack of contact information for scientific researchers as barriers to science reporting. Many respondents said the current status of science journalism in Ghana is low, and most favored increasing the amount of science journalism, in part to promote public literacy in science. The findings indicate that Ghana should consider offering more science journalism training, particularly in journalism schools, and should promote ready access of journalists to research findings and to contact information of scientific researchers.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2002. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 262-278).

This study uses Millennium Development Goal Indicator 17 along with a set of country-level maternal health process indicators to assess Ghana's current situation in the availability, utilization, and quality of care for women with obstetric complications. This study draws on primary quantitative data, collected through document review to calculate seven key maternal health process indicators. The researcher found that the country meets the acceptable levels for four of the country-level indicators, but falls short on the other three. The conclusion drawn from these findings indicate that Ghana is currently implementing sound evidence based strategies in its efforts to reduce maternal mortality. This study reveals that low utilization of critical services by women with obstetric complications remains a problem in Ghana. The indicators show that availability of EOC services and quality of care for these women are at or above international standards.

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