Ghana (World Health Organization, n.d.):
| Total population (2013) | 25,905,000 |
| Gross national income per capita (PPP international $, 2013) | 3 |
| Life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2013) | 62/64 |
| Probability of dying under five (per 1 000 live births, 0) | not available |
| Probability of dying between 15 and 60 years m/f (per 1 000 population, 2013) | 261/222 |
| Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2013) | 214 |
| Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2013) | 5.4 |
Malawi (World Health Organization, n.d.):
| Total population (2013) | 16,363,000 |
| Gross national income per capita (PPP international $, 2013) | 750 |
| Life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2013) | 58/61 |
| Probability of dying under five (per 1 000 live births, 0) | not available |
| Probability of dying between 15 and 60 years m/f (per 1 000 population, 2013) | 362/290 |
| Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2013) | 90 |
| Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2013) | 8.3 |
Maternal health in Ghana is improving with decreasing maternal deaths by 42% from 740 in 1990 to 350 deaths per 100 000 live births, ( InterNations, n.d.). Ghana is unlikely to achieve MDG 4 and 5, except for greatly expediting the implementation of strategies including MAF. Though there is considerable progress in malaria control, it continues to be the disease with highest burden and being the top OPD condition, in health facilities. According to World Health Organization (n.d.), Malawi is characterized by heavy burden of disease that is evidenced by high levels of child and adulthood mortality rates, and high prevalence of diseases such as tuberculosis, malaria, HIV/AIDS and other tropical diseases. Furthermore, research evidence suggests that there is a growing burden of non-communicable diseases. With a total fertility rate of 5.7, Malawi has one of the highest population densities in sub-Saharan Africa. Malawi faces number of challenges, which include inadequate finances to support poverty reduction programmes; high levels of illiteracy; and critical shortage of capacity in institutions; lack of development programmes implementation (The United Nations Children’s Fund, n.d.).
InterNations (n.d.) remarked on Ghana’s problems that are related to healthcare and health infrastructure. These problems are both numerous and serious. The nation agreed to the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) derived from the 2000 UN Millennium Declaration and has, in fact, made giant steps towards achieving a number of them. Most notable are probably the achievements made for Goals One and Two, which address extreme poverty and hunger, as well as education, respectively (InterNations, n.d.).
In comparison to Malawi’s infrastructures, it’s estimated that about 30 percent of boreholes and 50 percent of gravity schemes in Malawi do not function. Building on the past experience of working with districts, communities and the private sector, UNICEF members support 15 districts to institute better water, sanitation and hygiene facilities in schools and communities (The United Nations Children’s Fund, n.d.).
Ghana has made steady progress in the health status of its population over the last decades with life expectancy that is improving from 50 years at 1960 to 62 years in 2012. Child health has improved, resulting in the decrease in child mortality rate from 115 in 1983 to 80 in 2008. Infant mortality has decreased to 50 deaths per 1000 live births during the same period. Nutritional status of children however still remains a challenge with about 28% of Ghanaian children being stunted, 9% being wasted and 14% being underweight, (UNICEF, n.d.) . In Ghana, most healthcare is provided by the government and largely administered by the Ministry of Health and Ghana Health Services. The healthcare system has five levels of providers: Health posts – which are first level primary care for rural areas: Health Centers and Clinics, District Hospitals, Regional Hospitals and Tertiary Hospitals (World Health Organizations: Ghana, n.d.).
1) Malawi has low income level as compared to Ghana, which has lower middle income, The World Bank, (2014).
2) Malawi has a current GDP of $4.258 billion with a population of 16.83 million, while Ghana has a GDP of $38. 65 billion with a population of 26.44 million, The World Bank (2014).
Failure to access equal and quality health care is an important contributor to high rate of child mortality, in many developing countries like Malawi. In a national household survey in Malawi, research was used to explore demographic and socioeconomic barriers to healthcare for childhood illnesses and assessed the direct and indirect costs of seeking care, Ustrup, et al. (2014). Using a cluster-sample design, Ustrup, et al. (2014) selected 2,697 households and interviewed 1,669 caretakers. The main reason for households not being surveyed was the absent of primary caretaker in the household. Among 2,077 children aged less than five years, 504 episodes of cough and fever during the previous two weeks were reported. A trained healthcare provider was visited for 48.0% of illness episodes. The result according to Ustrup, et al. (2014) showed that in poor African countries, like Malawi, significant inequities exist in obtaining healthcare from a trained provider for childhood illnesses and in the costs associated with seeking care. With Ghana’s growing wealth, it is important to keep focus on the thousands of children and women who remain in poverty with inadequate health care, nutrition, education and protection. However, Ghana is said to be wealthier in child mortality, and provides more equitable healthcare nutrition among children, as compared to Malawi, (Inform Ghana, 2014). By the same token, it is unlikely that the 2015 target of reducing the child mortality rates will be met unless coverage of effective child survival interventions is increased, according to Inform Ghana (2014). In Ghana, child mortality rates have dropped considerably. Additionally, primary school enrolment is among the highest in West and Central Africa region (UNICEF, n.d.).
- InterNations. (n.d.) Health Issues and Healthcare in Ghana. Retrieved from http://www.internations.org/ghana-expats/guide/living-in-ghana-15779/health-issues-and-healthcare-in-ghana-2
- Inform Ghana. (November, 2014). Ghana not doing enough to reduce infant mortality – UNDP Ghana. Retrieved from http://www.myjoyonline.com/news/2014/June-11th/ghana-not-doing-enough-to-reduce-infant-mortality-undp-ghana.php
- The World Bank. (2014). Countries and economies. Retrieved from http://data.worldbank.org/country
- The United Nations Children’s Fund. (n.d.). Malawi: Survival. Retrieved from http://www.unicef.org/malawi/health_nutrition_3951.html
- Ustrup, M., Ngwira, B., Stockman, L. J., Deming, M., Nyasulu, P., Bowie, C., … Fischer, T. K. (2014). Potential Barriers to Healthcare in Malawi for Under-five Children with Cough and Fever: A National Household Survey. Journal of Health, Population, and Nutrition, 32(1), 68–78.
- UNICEF. (n.d.). UNICEF: Ghana. Retrieved from http://www.unicef.org/wcaro/Countries_1743.html
- WHO. (n.d.). Malawi. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/countryfocus/cooperation_strategy/ccsbrief_mwi_en.pdf
- World Health Organization. (n.d.) Ghana and Malawi. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/countries/gha/en/ and http://www.who.int/countries/mwi/en/
