Country with High Mortality Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Country with High Mortality - Research Paper Example The total surface area of the country is 238,533 sq. km /92,098 sq. miles (WHO, 2013). According to the United Nations Department Of Population and Social Affairs, the estimated total population for Ghana was 24,392 000 for the year 2010 and a projected 27,315,000 in year 2015.Of the total population, a bigger percentage is estimated to be in urban areas than I rural areas. The total population density for Ghana is estimated to be 82,000 and 146,000 people per kilometre in 2000 and 2030 respectively (WHO, 2013). Ghana is one of the more stable nations in Africa, with a good record of power changing hands peacefully. It has a multi-party system with a presidential representative government, whereby; the president is elected directly by citizens in general elections. The president becomes both the head of state and government (Princeton.edu, 2013). Ghana is the world's second largest cocoa producer behind Ivory Coast, and Africa's biggest gold miner after South Africa. Other top minera ls in Ghana include tuna, bauxite, aluminium, manganese ore, and diamonds. It is one of the continent's fastest growing economies with a projected growth rate of 7% in 2012 although its lower than of the previous year(World Bank,2013). The high growth rate is prompted by strong cocoa production, increased gold production among other factors. The GNI per capita of Ghana is US $1,230 (WHO, 2013) State of Health in Ghana The probability of dying between 15 and 60 years otherwise known as adult mortality rate, in Ghana was 273 per 1000 people. The life expectancy in years is slightly higher in females than in males, at 64% and 60% respectively. According to WHO, the leading cause of death in the country is malaria followed by HIV/AIDS and diarrhoeal diseases. It is estimated that in 2008, the leading cause of death among children under five was malaria, accounting for 26% of the total deaths. The mortality rate as a result of malaria in 2006 was higher in Ghana than in the neighbouring Cote d’ vore.In addition, theHIV/AIDS was also high in that country as compared to Burkina Faso and generally in the African continent in year 2007.Communicable diseases record the highest burden of disease, followed by non-communicable diseases. Injuries have the lowest distribution of burden of disease. According to WHO, the number of deaths from traffic accidents in Ghana was among the highest in the world, which marks a major contribution to the high mortality rates. Being one of the stable nations in Africa, Ghana does not experience a lot of deaths from violence (WHO, 2013). According to a study conducted in Ghana titled â€Å"Public Perceptions on the Role of Traditional Medicine in Health Care Delivery System†, findings suggest that traditional medicine is effective in treating various ailments. Some of the ailments that are effectively treated using traditional medicines in Ghana include malaria, mental illness, infertility, arthritis, boils, and typhoid fever , just to mention a few. While this is the case, it is worth noting that the traditional medicines are non-standardised as emphasized by Gyasi, Mensah, Osei-Wusu & Agyemang,2011). To most Ghanaians, poverty is a strong barrier to the utilization of health people than the orthodox care services. It’s no surprise then that traditional medicine is found to be cheaper and more readily available to the medicine.