The Hidden Jewel: Unveiling the True Strength of Ghana’s Healthcare System

"Jewels Shine Brighter in Impoverished Conditions"

This statement reflects the resilience of physicians in Ghana. They work hard to provide patient care despite many challenges. These professionals aim to help as many people as possible while managing their finances. However, achieving this balance is often very difficult.

The authors remember their medical school days. Students struggled to understand patients' daily hardships. They also overlooked the burdens faced by senior colleagues. Frustrations and limitations were common, along with a desire for better systems.

Eventually, they found themselves facing similar inequities. As medical officers at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, they felt honored yet burdened. Their salaries were insufficient for a decent living and did not reflect their dignity.

Like many others, they took extra jobs at private hospitals. Long hours became necessary just to meet societal expectations.

The financial strain was not their only concern. The emotional toll from patients’ stories weighed heavily on them. Patients viewed doctors as all-knowing figures in their journey of pain. Yet too often, doctors felt powerless to help them fully.

Referring patients elsewhere sometimes led to "no bed syndrome." Watching patients suffer due to a lack of emergency equipment was heartbreaking. These situations involved real lives and families with dreams cut short.

Many nights ended with sorrow over what could have been done differently. When things went wrong, doctors were often blamed instead of the failing system.

After moving abroad for further education, the contrast was stark. In countries with better healthcare infrastructure, patients had more options available.

Clinicians there worked within empowering systems that supported care delivery. For the first time, they witnessed what resources could achieve in healthcare.

This experience changed them profoundly as both doctors and individuals. It deepened their empathy and strengthened their resolve for change in Ghana's healthcare system.

Today, they reflect on Ghana’s healthcare journey marked by resilience and innovation. Despite limited funding and resources, health professionals serve over 33 million people effectively.

They have shown remarkable creativity under pressure—using plastic bottles for CPAP machines or kerosene lanterns during deliveries.

A shift toward sustainable solutions is crucial for transformation in Ghana's healthcare system. Moving away from the old “cash and carry” model helped reduce financial barriers through the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

Though challenges remain—especially for vulnerable populations—the NHIS laid groundwork for broader access to care. Decentralization has empowered local health teams to design interventions tailored to community needs.

The Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) initiative brings healthcare directly to rural Ghanaians' doorsteps without long wait times.

Health Technology Assessment (HTA) has emerged as a key tool for evidence-based policymaking in Africa. HTA supports smarter investments in high-impact health interventions across various issues like childhood cancers and COVID-19.

Despite progress, disparities still exist due to uneven resource distribution and limited infrastructure. To close these gaps, investment in local capacity and digital health tools is essential.

Ghana can learn from global best practices found in countries like the UK or Netherlands where affordable healthcare is accessible through tax-based systems or compulsory insurance models.

Above all else, we must honor the human spirit behind this evolution—physicians, nurses, community health workers—they are the hidden jewels of our health system.

Their sacrifices sustain us; their stories guide us forward toward a better future in healthcare.


About the Authors:

Dr. Denise Eke Chukwu has over six years of service in Ghana's public and private sectors. She works primarily with underserved communities while pursuing her Master of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University specializing in Health Leadership and Management.

Dr. Simon Egyin is a general physician from Ghana studying Master of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University focusing on genetics and cancer research while serving underserved communities.

Nicemode Charles hails from Tanzania; she studies Master of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University after earning her Bachelor’s degree from Agnes Scott College.

Dr. Yvonne Appau Mensah is a General Practitioner currently pursuing her Master of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University focusing on infectious diseases.

Dr. Albert Ekow Orhin is training as a physician while pursuing his master's degree at Johns Hopkins University specializing in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology after working extensively in intensive care settings.