Contribution of Community Based Health Planning Service in Maternal Health Service Delivery in the Tamale Metropolitan Area, Ghana.

Abstract

The fast approach of the end of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by the end of 2015 has driven many countries to accelerate their efforts at achieving the goals. In line with the proposed means of measuring the success of the MDG 5 by World Health Organisation (WHO): to reduce country maternal mortality ratios and achieve universal reproductive health, Ghana has been implementing the Community based Health Planning Services (CHPS) strategy to address the MDG 4 and 5. This study sought to assess the contribution of the CHPS to the attainment of the MDG5 using the indicators of antenatal care, delivery services, postnatal care and community participation components of CHPS. Adopting qualitative and quantitative study approach and the cross sectional research design, the Tamale Metropolitan Area (TaMA) was brought into focus to have a snap shot view on the contribution of CHPS to maternal health. Three hundred and ninety five women of child bearing age (15-49 years), 31 Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) and six health professionals in the CHPS zones provided information for the study through questionnaire administration, focused group discussions and interviews respectively. The results revealed that, 80.8percent of the women attended antenatal clinic in their respective CHPS compound. All the CHPS in the study did not provide delivery services for the women due to lack of midwives. Further, 89 percent of the women were delivered by TBAs at home whilst the rest delivered in either a health centre or hospital because of complications in pregnancy. All respondents received the first 24 hours postnatal care from either TBAs, or nurses who worked in their respective CHPS compound and midwives in the health centres or hospitals. All respondents accessed general health services in their zonal CHPS. The study concludes that, for full implementation of the CHPS to effectively contribute to the achievement of the MDG5, the District Director of Health Services should post midwives to the CHPS compound to ensure that skilled delivery services are provided.

Keywords: Community based Heath Planning Service, Antenatal care, Delivery care and Postnatal care.