Low uptake of intermittent preventive treatment in Ghana: An examination of health system bottlenecks

Abstract

Despite the devastating impact of malaria in pregnancy in Africa, the uptake of intermittent preventive treatment for malaria prophylaxis has remained considerably low. In Ghana, the uptake of optimal doses (≥ 3doses) stands at 38.5%, despite the fact that antenatal care uptake is 87.3%. In this article, we undertake a review of existing bottlenecks that determine the underlying factors affecting optimal uptake in the country. The World Health Organization’s health system strengthening framework is adapted to examine these factors. Finally, a health information strategy is proposed to ameliorate the underlying issues identified