Migrants’ and Non-Migrants’ Access and Use of Health Care in Ghana

Abstract

The aim of the Sustainable Development Goal three (SDG 3) is to ensure healthy lives and promote the well-being for all humans in both advanced and developing countries. This makes accessing and use of health care a global concern and a basic right of all persons irrespective their migration status or location on the globe. Empirical evidence also reveals an increasing number of international migrants. Studies have shown that developing countries such as Ghana also becoming a transit and a destination place for migrants. Using a mixed method approach, the study conducted a survey of 116 migrants and 116 non-migrants residing in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. Ten in-depth interviews and one unstructured expert interview were also conducted with selected migrants and non-migrants from the survey. The data collection was done between November and December 2018. Chi-square tests were used to determine statistical significance between socio-demographic factors, migration characteristics and access to health care. Determinants of access to health care were examined using binary logistic regression models. The qualitative interviews were used to validate and explain the quantitative findings. The findings indicate that, almost three-quarters (74.1%) of the migrants compared to less than a tenth (7.8%) of the non-migrants have never registered with a health insurance scheme in Ghana. A higher percentage of the migrants (50.9%) compared to non-migrants (33.6%) have no access to health care. Also, access to health care had a statistically significant relationship with migration status, origin of the respondent, the respondent’s level of education and the health care need of the respondent. The results also show that both migrants and non-migrants use the pharmacy when then are unwell and do self-medicate using either the pharmacy, herbs or medication from family and friends. The qualitative interview also revealed that, there exists price discrimination against migrants for health care services. The study, therefore, recommends a further study to explore and investigate issues on price discrimination against migrants in health care use in Ghana and also the migration policy of Ghana reviewed to include matters of migrants’ access to health care within the context of Ghana’s commitment to regional (ECOWAS and AU) and global development goals.