A Situational Analysis Of Practice Capacity Of Community Health Planning Services (CHPS) Setup: An Important Step In A Task Strengthening Initiative To Reduce Uncontrolled Hypertension At The Community Level

January 9, 2019 | News | Reading time: 3 min

By Solomon Nyame and the TASSH Team (Juliet Iwelunmor, Gbenga Ogedegbe, Kezia Gladys Amaning Adjei, Kwame Adjei, Kingsley Apusiga, Joyce Gyamfi, Kwaku Poku Asante and Jacob Plange-Rhule)

Hypertension (HTN) is considered to be a significant public health concern since it affects populations globally. Evidence suggests that patients with HTN can be cared for by nonphysician health care providers such as community health officers, who diagnose and provide adequate counseling on healthy lifestyle to patients. In Ghana, community-based health planning and services (CHPS) program provide a platform to initiate HTN management at the community level.

The team conducted a cross-sectional survey to assess the capacity and readiness of community health workers to undertake a hypertension control initiative at the community level among community health workers in six contiguous districts (Kintampo North, Kintampo South, Nkoranza North, Nkoranza South, Techiman North, and Techiman Municipality) within the Brong-Ahafo Region of Ghana.

A high proportion of community health workers knew lifestyle-related messages provided to their clients are: heart-healthy diets (91.6%, n=164)), physical activity (90.5%, n=162) and low sodium intake (88.3%, n=158), but not about other lifestyle modifying messages such as caffeine reduction (46.4% (n=83). Responses showed that community health workers did not know the names of the first-line hypertension medications. Worryingly Fifty-one percent (51%) of respondents did not know about the BP threshold for initiation of high BP management. About 90% of respondents have not received any form of on the job training in hypertension management. More than 80% are, however, motivated to implement initiate HTN management at the community level. There is a need to strengthen primary healthcare facilities significantly. These measures must include training of frontline health workers in the management of hypertension and other chronic diseases. Also, it is crucial to improve diagnostic and treatment supplies for the primary care set up.