2.3 Accessibility to hospitals: Accra

private transport is especially deficient in the east and west of the Accra metropolitan region. This deficiency translates into a significant difference in the ability to access educational centers for those with enough resources to own vehicles versus those (usually the poor) who must rely on taking public transport or going by foot.

Access to health facilities in urban Ghana is a challenge for a significant portion of the population. The Ghana National Transport Survey of 2012 (GSS 2013) revealed that 26 percent of respondents from urban areas did not have reliable transport to health facilities and that 78 percent indicated that transport was not available or easily available in the morning to access health facilities.

Local access using public transport to the main hospitals in Accra is limited; less than 15 percent of the population has access to most of the main hospitals in less than an hour. hospitals located within the central business district or on major highways have better accessibility by public transport, especially Marie Stopes hospital, which is accessible by 63 percent of Accra´s population as opposed to those located on the periphery. Korlebu Teaching hospital, considered the main hospital for Accra, is accessible by only 36 percent of the population. hospitals within the vicinity of the University of Ghana also have poor accessibility because the surrounding areas have lower population density (figures 2.3 and 2.4).

In Kumasi, local access to hospitals by public transport is significantly worse for low-income individuals. Accessibility is highest for hospitals within the Ring Road, or on major roads. Those located in the suburbs, such as Atasomanso hospital, have poor accessibility for all groups because of lower densities and the limited transport services in these areas. Most hospitals are more accessible to the average population than low-income groups except for KNUST hospital because low-income areas tend to be toward the periphery and far from hospitals, and the transport services connecting these low-income areas with hospitals is limited.

FIGURE 2.3

Accessibility to hospitals: Accra

Deseret Hospital GA South Municipal Hospital Greater Accra Regional Hospital Korlebu Teaching Hospital Kumoji Hospital Legon University Hospital Achimota Hospital Maamobi General Hospital Marie Stopes Hospital UOG Teaching Hospital

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 Percent Percentage of total population with access within one hour

Source: World Bank. Note: GA = Greater Accra; UOG = University of Ghana.