Ghanaians may not be able to afford healthcare, here's why

Almost every sector of Ghana’s economy has been hard hit by the current economic crisis.

Starting from food, water, electricity, rent, cement, the cost of building materials, clothing, and even the most recent, Bibles.

The increment in these consumer goods has been largely attributed to the cedi’s depreciation.

One item of utmost importance to the livelihoods of Ghanaians is health care, especially at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic continues to pose a global threat to the world’s economies.

Currently, a pack of paracetamol tablets costs GH¢3 and a pack of dissolvable Vitamin C tablets cost GH¢32.

Research has shown that between 2019 and 2022, more than 4.16 million people in Ghana had type 2 diabetes.

A quick check at some pharmacies and retail shops has shown that the cost of some medications for diabetes such as insulin and metformin has seen almost a 50% increment in the last three months of this year.

According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, more than one in four adults in Ghana has hypertension.

Hypertensive drugs have also seen some increment in cost in recent times.

Attendants at a pharmacy in Dzorwulu who spoke on anonymity said the increase is due to the depreciation of the Ghana cedi and the high cost of imports.

Meanwhile, in 2016, the Chief Executive of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr. Gilbert Buckle, lamented the expensive nature of healthcare provision in the country.

He noted that the cost of importing expensive medical consumables into the country has compounded the cost of healthcare provision in the country.

Even though Ghana has a National Health Insurance Scheme, patrons have bemoaned its inability to cover certain vital health areas.

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