ABURA DUNKWA The current situation in Abura Dunkwa Hospital Diabetes and hypertension are characterized by patients not noticing symptoms in the early stages of the disease. The first signs patients notice are caused by the effects of hypertension or diabetes mellitus when left untreated. For the group of patients who already suffer from serious forms of diabetes or high blood pressure it is important they receive a long-term treatment programme and are checked regularly by a nurse.In the current situation patients at the Abura Dunkwa Hospital receive medicine monthly. The patient has to travel to the hospital every month to pick up the medicine. In reality however, patients only come to the hospital when they have serious complications. At that time, they receive medicine for a month and the patient does not show up at the hospital again until new complications arise.For many patients the distance to the hospital means high costs to travel to the hospital. Community based factors:
-Superstition concerning diabetes and high blood pressure hamper proper treatment of the diseases.
-A high level of illiteracy and an attitude of not using official institutions for healthcare.Organisational factors
-In some cases medication for treatment of the diseases is not in stock at the health care centres.
-The CHPS within different compounds are not permitted to provide medicine.
-Treatment and check-ups on diabetes and high blood pressure are not part of the regular tasks of nurses working within the communities.
-There is a lack of protocol for consultation of people with chronic disease at the different institutions in the district.
-Communication between the hospital and the nurses in the community is insufficient where treatment of chronic diseases is concerned.
-The level of knowledge of treating people for chronic disease is insufficient for nurses working in the communities as well as for nurses in general.
Ghaned for Health identifies possible solutions in two areas.
The areas are the location where care is provided and the manner in which it is provided. By offering care for diabetes and hypertension decentralized and in the vicinity of patients situated in rural areas, the accessibility of healthcare is improved. Furthermore, by offering healthcare in a more structured way, the opportunities for providing higher quality and more frequent care are improved.
Such an approach comes with the following benefits:
The transfer of part of the health care for diabetics and people with high blood pressure to centres for basic health care and ambulatory nurses, will decrease the number of patients who visit the hospital. As a result, the decreased workload will enable hospitals to focus their efforts on treating patients with complications.
Diabetics and people who suffer from hypertension, will be more inclined to visit a local health care centre as opposed to the hospital. The check-up frequency on patients and the treatment of these chronic diseases will improve as a result.
By educating patients, regular check-ups and better use of medication, complications resulting from diabetes and hypertension will decrease.
By employing a structured medical protocol, patients will receive better care within their own community by trained ambulatory nurses. Where complications do occur, patients will be referred to the hospital
Our Partner in Ghana Organisation in Ghana
Name : Abura Dunkwa District Hospital
Address : P.O. Box 55
City : Abura Dunkwa, Central Region, Ghana Contact Name : Mr. Julius Waamsasiko
E-mail address : juliwaam@yahoo.co.uk | 
