Abstract:
Background: About 70% of Ghanaians depend on traditional, complementary and integrative medicine (TCIM)
practices for primary healthcare needs. It was therefore integrated into mainstream healthcare delivery system by
the Ministry of Health in September 2012. LEKMA hospital was one of the institutions for piloting TCIM services. We
assessed factors that promote the usage and sustainability of TCIM services within the formal healthcare system.
Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study from April–June 2017 at the LEKMA hospital, Accra, Ghana.
Patients and managers of TCIM clinic were interviewed. Data was collected through qualitative and quantitative
approaches. We defined usage of TCIM as its current use, and sustainability as structures in place to run TCIM
services. For assessing usage, a five-point Likert scale was used to assess five domain areas via exit interviews.
Managers were assessed on the sustainability of TCIM services through in-depth interviews. Likert scales responses
were analysed quantitatively using descriptive tertile statistics. Thematic analysis was used for qualitative analysis.
Results: Overall, 72.7% (40/55) of the clients showed a high preference for TCIM usage and 80.0% (4/5) of the
managers valued it as partially sustainable. Eighty per cent (44/55) of patients indicated that the location of TCIM
services and availability of visible directional signs influenced the good usage; 84% (46/55) of the patients agreed
that the usage of TCIM was influenced by their perceived effectiveness. Managers indicated that human resources
for providing services was a challenge and TCIM integration into the operations of the hospital needed to be
improved.Conclusion: We observed a high preference for usage of TCIM among users at LEKMA hospital. The general belief in
the potency, perceived effectiveness, location and availability of TCIM services are key determinants of the high
preference for usage of TCIM. Provision of TCIM services in its current form is partially sustainable from the managers’
perspective. We recommend that the Ministry of Health ensures the availability of staff and create awareness of TCIM
services among the general populace.
