Mother and Child Health
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Ghana
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Medical care for mothers, children, persons with disabilities and the poverty-stricken population of Northern Ghana

Organisation: Jugend Eine Welt – Don Bosco Development Cooperation
Partner organisation in partner country: Medical Mission Sisters

Image
Mobile clinics take place outdoors - in the shade of large trees – bringing the medical services closer to the population.
(© Jugend Eine Welt)

Situation: 

Kulmasa town and 54 surrounding villages in Northern Ghana suffer from severe malnutrition, especially among children, due to a lack of essential nutrients. The area's inadequate (health) infrastructure and high illiteracy rates compound the humanitarian situation of the population. Women and children, particularly those with disabilities, are the most affected by the poor healthcare system. 

Objectives:

The health situation of 24,000 people in and around Kulmasa will be improved through ongoing mobile health-care services and medical care provided by a professional medical team in a newly constructed family clinic.

Indicators:
  • 29,000 consultations
  • Ante-natal and post-natal care for 900 mothers and newborns
  • 650 patients with disabilities receive medical care, home visits and upon need medical devices
     
Measures:
  • Provide mobile medical services in 30 communities in and around Kulmasa involving a network of volunteer community workers
  • Identify persons with disabilities and provide medical devices
  • Special medical support for children under the age of 5 years (immunizations, regular preventive care and professional treatment for acute illnesses and injuries, provision of locally produced nutritional supplements)
  • Home visits, special clinics (with medical specialists) and awareness raising campaigns
     
Sustainability:

Close cooperation with the local authorities, the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) and the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) the clinic’s sustainability. By the end of the project, the clinic will have integrated a large majority of its staff into the government payroll and regularly receive reimbursement for patients’ treatment costs from the insurance. A laboratory in the clinic will serve as an income source for the established poor patient fund.

Special features:

The project is supported locally by the community and health structures and is embedded in a broad, comprehensive rural development approach by the local partner. In addition to health care, the Medical Mission Sisters promote programs for women's empowerment and subsistence farmers in the region.

Here you can find further information.