The free maternal health policy: acceptability and satisfaction with quality of maternal health services during pregnancy in rural Northern Ghana

Introduction: Ghana introduced a maternal health policy in July 2008 to provide free of cost health services to women. However, the utilization of services does not depend on affordability alone but acceptability as well. Acceptability includes attitudes and behaviors of providers and satisfaction with the quality of care. The study explored women’s views and perceptions about attitudes and behaviors of providers and satisfaction with the quality of services under the free maternal health policy in Ghana. In addition, the views and perceptions of providers were examined. Methods: A convergent parallel mixed-methods study was conducted. The study was carried out in the Kassena-Nankana Municipality in Ghana. A structured questionnaire was distributed among women (n=406) who utilized health facilities during pregnancy. Further, focus group discussions (FGDs) with women (n=10) and in-depth interviews with midwives and nurses (n=25) were held. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while the qualitative data were recorded, transcribed, read, and coded thematically. Results: Women perceived facilities to be clean, especially the smaller ones. Ninety-eight percent of women (n=313/320) perceived providers to be respectful or friendly, and this was mostly confirmed in the FGDs. More than two-thirds of the women (74%, n=300) were also very satisfied or satisfied with the quality of care due to the respect accorded them by providers. Equally, midwives and nurses were satisfied with the quality of care they provided. Nonetheless, providers believed that the unavailability of drugs and supplies, laboratory services, accommodation, and transportation for emergencies reduced women’s satisfaction with services and the quality of care they could provide. Conclusion: The services provided to women during pregnancy were acceptable under the free maternal health policy. There remain challenges in addressing a lack of infrastructure and commodities that affects the quality of care.

Assessment of the Effects of the Free Maternal Health Policy on Maternal Health: A Case Study of New Juaben Municipality, Koforidua, Ghana.

<p>The main objective of the study was to verify the effect of the free maternal care policy on maternal health in the New Juaben Municipality, Ghana. The population for the study encompassed women of the child bearing age (10-49) in the New Juaben Municipality. Both primary and secondary sources of data were employed for this study. Purposive and accidental sampling procedures were used to select the respondents. The sample size was two hundred (200). This study used trend analysis as its main approach of analyzing the available data. The findings show that antenatal attendance has been increasing over the years. This is attributed to the introduction of the free maternal health policy. However, quality of care remains a problem due to the enormous attendance. It was also recommended that there is still a great need to introduce other measures to reduce maternal mortality in the municipality. It was also recommended that quality of care must be addressed and also more efforts should be made in the services that have provided to the patients. It was concluded that, although the policy has not eradicated maternal mortality completely yet it has contributed to its significant reduction in the region.</p>