Preface<br />Professor So Yoon Kim, Yonsei University College of Medicine <br />I am honored to introduce the book “The primary health care in Africa: progress and best practices in the case of Ghana” to the international community. I would like to thank the representative authors, Agani Afaya, Eric Osei, Kennedy Diema Konlan and Prince Kubi Appiah, editors and publisher for all the efforts put in to advancing and completing this book. Also, I would like to thank Prof. John Owusu Gyapong, Dr. Sena Cynthia Kpeglo, Prof. Fred Binka, Prof. Francis Bruno Kwabla Zotor, Prof. Harry Kwami Tagbor, Prof. Frank Edwin, Prof. Ernestina Donkor, Prof. Paul Amuna, Prof. Prudence Portia, and Prof. Margaret Abena Kweku for sharing many thoughts to begin this work. Since the Alma-ata declaration in 1978, the concept of primary health care has long been emphasized as a whole-societal approach to provide comprehensive health care ranging from health promotion, disease prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation to palliative care, with the primary goal of achieving better health services for all. Since the declaration, many countries attempted to improve health by creating, strengthening or readjusting health systems to provide expansive health services to the people. African countries, including Ghana, also made achievements over the 40 years. In this book, the progress and best practices of Africa in terms of primary health care is presented, with much focus on Ghana. We hope that the case study of Ghana could be an exemplary case of adopting primary health care policies on its own background and social context.<br /><br />This work is a part of the collaborative project named “Health and Medical Education Competency Enhancement Project in University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS), Ghana” between Yonsei University and UHAS, which is facilitated by the Ministry of Education and supported by the National Research Foundation (NRF) of Korea.

Chapter 01. The Economics, Social, and Political Environment of Africa
The economic environment of Africa
Africa's socio-poilitical environment
A brief history of modern Ghana
Demographic profile of Ghana
Macroeconomic profile of Ghana
Political systems of Ghana
Chapter 02. Levels of care and governance
Levels of care and governanc
Service delivery
Chapter 03. The Past and the Present of Primary Health Care
Introduction to Primary health care
Primary health care: The Alma Ata Declaration
Evolution of primary health care in Ghana
Primary health care: A necessary foundation for the health-related SDGs and UHC
Primary health care: The Astana Declaration, 2018
Chapter 04. Implemenatation of the Primary Health Care Strategy in Africa
Actions by the WHO Regional Office to advance the PHC approach
Principles of primary health care
The Bamako Initiative
The Ouagadougou Declaration on primary health care in Africa
Challenges to the implementation of PHC strategy in Africa
Chapter 05. Development and Cooperation on Health in Ghana
Health and economic development in Ghana
Changes to the health care policy in accordance with economic development plans
International aid for health development
Community health projects in the Volta Region of Ghana
Chapter 06. Best Practices to Achieve Better Health for All
The Danfa Project in Ghana
The Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) concept of Gha
Other health care demonstration projects in Ghana and other African countries
Chapter 07. Health System Strengthening
Financing primary health care
The Health Information Management System
Chapter 08. Human Resources for Health
Community health workers (CHWs)
The history of community health worker programs
Categories of CHWs in Ghana
Historical perspective of CHWs in Ghana
Scope of CHW practice
The status of primary health care practitioners in Ghana
Chapter 09. Over 40 Years of PHC Implementation in Africa: Achievements and Challenges
Maternal Morality in Ghana
Under-five mortality
Abortion care services in Ghana
Birth rate in Ghana
Caesarean section births
Chapter 10. The Future of Primary Health Care in Africa: What Needs to be Done
Increase the ability of PHC teams to deliver care
Harnessing the potentials of technology
Maintaining the quality and safety of care
Providing better data through innovation
Targeting populations with special needs