Accessibility of Maternal Healthcare by Migrant Female Headporters in Accra

Abstract

Accessibility to basic services such as healthcare across Socio-economic groups such as the migrant female head porters (kayayei) in the Greater Accra Region has remained an issue of concern, as public policy on health has not addressed the maternal health of the kayayei. This study was therefore done so as, to unveil the challenges that the kayayei encounter in the process of trying to seek maternal healthcare. Mixed methods were employed in the study in order to cross validate the information on the questionnaire and in-depth interviews. The research found that factors affecting accessibility of Maternal Health services by the Kayayei are geographical accessibility, financial accessibility, acceptability, constant shortage of medicines in the hospitals and many others. The results show that though there is general awareness, the above factors limited the maternal kayayei from accessing healthcare services. It was therefore suggested that government should increase the number of health facilities as well as strengthen the National Health Insurance Scheme so as to increase access to healthcare by this vulnerable and poor group of people.

Keywords: Maternal Healthcare; Migrant female head porters; Accessibility; Living conditions