Accra, Ghana//-A majority of citizens say they worry that they or a family member would be unable to obtain or afford medical care if they became sick, the latest Afrobarometer survey reveals.
More than half of Ghanaians say they or someone in their household went without medicines or medical treatment at least once during the previous year, a share that has increased by 21 percentage points since 2019.
Health ranks as the third-most-important problem that Ghanaians want their government to address, following unemployment and infrastructure/roads.
A large majority believe the government should ensure universal access to adequate health care, even if doing so requires raising taxes, a clear sign that citizens are willing to support policies that expand access to care.
Key findings
- Health ranks third on the list of the most important problems that Ghanaians want their government to address, cited by 33% of respondents as one of their three priorities. Only unemployment (41%) and infrastructure/roads (38%) draw greater concern (Figure 1).
- More than half (53%) of Ghanaians say they or someone in their household went without medicines or medical treatment at least once during the previous year (Figure 2). This includes 15% who say this happened “many times” or “always.” The share of Ghanaians who report going without medical care has increased by 21 percentage points since 2019.
- Almost two-thirds (63%) of respondents say they worry “somewhat” or “a lot” that they or a family member will be unable to obtain or afford needed medical care if they get sick. Another 19% say they worry “a little” (Figure 3).
- A strong majority (62%) of Ghanaians say the government should ensure universal access to adequate health care, even if that means raising taxes (Figure 4). One-third (33%) disagree.
Afrobarometer surveys
Afrobarometer is a pan-African, non-partisan survey research network that provides reliable data on African experiences and evaluations of democracy, governance, and quality of life. Nine survey rounds in up to 42 countries have been completed since 1999. Round 10 were launched in January 2024. Afrobarometer’s national partners conduct face-to-face interviews in the language of the respondent’s choice.
The Afrobarometer team in Ghana, led by the Ghana Center for Democratic Development, interviewed a nationally representative sample of 2,400 adult Ghanaians in August 2024. A sample of this size yields country-level results with a margin of error of +/-2 percentage points at a 95% confidence level. Previous surveys were conducted in Ghana in 1999, 2002, 2005, 2008, 2012, 2014, 2017, 2019, and 2022.
