Malaria and Vaccinations in Ghana

Malaria is one of the leading cause of high death rates especially in sub-Saharan Africa, this disease occurs mostly in poor tropical, and subtropical areas of the world. Africa is the most affected continent due to scarce resources and socio-economic instability. Statistics have shown that Malaria is one of the most severe public health problems worldwide and it is the leading cause of death and disease in many developing countries where people, children, and pregnant women are being affected. 

Background

Research show that the children under the age of five years, and the pregnant women are more vulnerable to the effects of malaria than any other population of the society. In the societies such as the African countries, the structure is such that the women are marginalized and have little access to the education that would make it possible for them to access the required health care (Amin et al., 2014). The health care is therefore predominantly female biased. They are not exposed to the access of resources as their male counterparts. This forms the essential focus of the treatment plan for the malaria disease. The different social norm makes the women relegated to the positions in which they become vulnerable. An instance in some of the Sub-Saharan Africa countries, women are not supposed to go out of the home without the accompaniment of a man. This scenario blocks the females from accessing the healthcare services when the man is not around, thus putting them in danger of suffering when the need for care is necessary. 

The children, on the other hand, have a lower immunity to the malaria parasite (Amin et al., 2014). Their immune system has not fully developed to fight the always mutating Plasmodium pathogen. In the poorer parts of some developing countries, the families cannot access the treatment of malaria and also the access to the preventive resources is low. Therefore, the societies in such places can be left out in the ongoing war against disease as they have no protection against the effects of the female Anopheles mosquitoes (Van Eijk, 2011). The Ghanaian Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) state that the preventive measures are the best methods to have the malaria fatality, under control. Such are the employment of vaccination and insecticides. With the increasing rates of malaria deaths, there is an urgent need to take it under control. Some of the control measures are already underway in the country as most women have been put to the intermittent use of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs). 

Several theories have been used to describe the spread and control of malaria parasites and pathogens. The first is the mosquito-malaria theory. This is the one that first defined the transmission of the disease being through a mosquito bite. The previous research made observations on the human blood and identified the disease pathogen (Plasmodium) as present, but what was unclear was how the pathogen was transferred from one patient to the next. The discovery of the mosquito vector made a significant impact in the milestone of the malaria treatment and control in the public health. The other theory was the natural disappearance one. This indicated that there are some areas in which the disease effect naturally, disappeared. The evidence shows that the malaria parasite has been successfully eradicated from large tracts of land in various parts of the world. The third one is the strain theory. This theory describes the many forms in which the pathogen exists. There was evidence that the malaria pathogen existence in different ‘strains’ and characteristics that also vary in intensity of infection. The knowledge of these strains is important in public health and social wellbeing. It explains different clinical features of the parasite phenotypes. These include host immunity, relapse and latency, infectivity to mosquitoes, reaction to anti-malarial drugs, and clinical virulence. The understanding pf the strains made it possible for the development of the best plan to eradicate the vice. 

Leading scientists, medical and sociologist have concluded that there is a direct relationship between vaccinations and the use of the insecticides treated bed nets (ITNs). They have found that when these two methods are used, it will help prevent Malaria and the spreading of this disease. Ghana is among one of the many countries in Africa that have the highest mortality rate of Malaria (Hill, 2013). The West African country of Ghana was the first African country to establish a National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). In 2003 the NHIS was created under the law that it licenses, monitor, and regulate the operations and regulations of health insurance in Ghana. There are three main health insurance schemes in Ghana, and they are District Mutual Health Insurance Scheme which was the first and most popular category which is operated in every district in Ghana. This is the public/non-commercial scheme, and anyone who is a resident in Ghana can register under this scheme. 

The District Mutual Health Insurance Scheme also covers people considered to be indigent, without a job and lacking the needs to be able to afford insurance premiums. The second category of health insurance is the Private Commercial Health Insurance scheme, which is approved by the companies operating it. This coverage is similar to CHP or Blue Cross Blue Shields; with this insurance, the individual can purchase insurance for themselves and their dependents. The third category of health insurance is known as the private mutual health insurance scheme. Under this, any group of people can come together and start making contributions to cater for their health needs, providing services approved by the governing council of the scheme. Private mutual health insurance schemes are not entitled to the subsidy from the National Health Insurance Fund (Bonfrer, 2016). 

The above coverage’s are relevant and needed in Ghana, but the NHIS is missing another form of protection that will benefit the citizens of Ghana (Van Eijk, 2011). My company perceives a problem with the three above NHIS, and the problem is that when we researched the coverages for these insurances, we noticed that none of these insurances cover the expenses associated with Malaria or vaccinations to help reduce this disease. None of, these coverages include any vaccinations, and most Ghanaians must either pay out of pocket, live without the treatments due to their income, or some lack the knowledge of knowing what precautions to take to prevent this troubling issue. My company is fully dedicated and is willing to work efficiently with the government of Ghana to resolve this matter. 

Saving Lives Health Organization

The company received the name “Saving Lives” because we as an organization are striving to strengthen the health care system in Ghana and the people that reside in it. We are a health team that is trying to help our society in improving the health care system and trying to reduce the death rates among people with Malaria. Saving Lives Health Organization is willing to collaborate with the Department of Health in Ghana, and private sectors to come up with resources and tragedies on Malaria and vaccinations (Van Eijk, 2011). The percentage of Malaria spreading through Ghanaians is rapidly rising especially among children aged five years or younger, and pregnant women. Saving Lives Health Organization is willing to partner with all the hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies in providing the best needs of the citizens of Ghana. Currently, this Organization has other branches throughout the continent of Africa such as Congo, Guinea, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, and Sierra Leone. We just recently opened our new branch in the Philippines which also has a high mortality rate of Malaria; the office’s grand opening was on January 1st, 2017 with 100 full-time and part-time employees (Clouston, 2015). Currently, we have over a million employees throughout the continent of Africa including the Philippines, and we continue to hire more people who are dedicated to saving lives and helping our organization grow and be known throughout the world. Our Organization, we have partnered with the World Health Organization to provide health care services to Ghana. As an Organization, we are planning to open more locations in the areas where Malaria seem to be an issue. 

Founder/Organization name

The Organization was founded by my Grandparents who passed away and handed the Organization to me, being that I am the oldest grandchild they trusted in me and believed that I would take full responsibility of this company and do anything and everything in my power for this company to survive and change lives around the world. Our company’s focus is to help stop the spreading of Malaria among Ghanaians and help educate and teach the right precautions when affected by this disease. Most families in Ghana are financially unstable and are struggling to make a living each day; if a person gets this disease they are forced to seek medical attention, and in most situations, the person might not have the resources to do so. Therefore, they either must borrow money from someone or just live with the disease and in the event of that, the person might end up passing away. In Ghana, the lower class are the majority of the population that seem to suffer most with this disease because they have no money, no knowledge to care for the disease, and no one to turn to for help. For example; in villages, people are struggling every day to make a living, and the poverty line is very low. Most of these residents in the villages are impoverished, and they have poor nutrition, and most of them have never received any vaccinations in their lifetime. 

In Ghana, Malaria accounts for 48 percent of under-five deaths in 2015, and it is remaining as one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the country ( Seck, 2011) . Besides the adverse effects on the general population, Malaria is also bad for business. A report showed that Ghana lost about 6.58 million dollars to Malaria in 2014 through employee absenteeism, which increased health care spending and decreased productivity ( Seck, 2011) . Therefore, my company is willing to help and avoid these situations. For my business to address this issue, we will need to partner with the Department of Health in Ghana and private sectors, and with our skills and resources, we can reach a significant number of people affected by this disease. 

Mission and Vision

Vision

As the CEO of our outstanding company, our vision is that everyone has the best care and health possible. As we move toward our goal of being a world-class health care organization, we strive to put our clients first and meet their healthcare needs. We want to help people to stay healthy, we want to help people enjoy life, and we want to offer an affordable solution to health care. Saving Lives Organization is determined to be a provider of high-quality patient-focused health care that is readily accessible, cost-effective, and meets the needs of the communities and the countries we serve.

Mission

At Saving Lives Organization, we recognize the value of every person, and we are committed to providing excellence and leadership. Our Organization is determined to provide quality health services to relieve suffering, and restore health. We are consistent with the best service we can give at the highest value for all concerned. Our Organization does not discriminate; we provide services to all types of races, age, and socioeconomic status. We want to create educational materials and tools to help prevent Malaria. Among our numerous resources, we have education packets that have detailed information and facts related to Malaria. The packets explain the risks, preventions, and precautions associated with Malaria. We also host seminars that are full with activities such as presentations on the topic of Malaria and the importance of vaccinations. We offer free vaccination shots, free screenings for Malaria, we provide mosquito nets to help prevent getting bit by mosquitoes, bug sprays, mosquito repellents, and samples of anti-malarial tablets. We have partnered with pharmacists and doctors who spare their time to attend these seminars to educate and speak on this disease. During our seminars, we also have radio stations who broadcast the event. We also have free food vendors available that is paid for by our company. 

Who benefits from the Organization?

Society as a whole is going to take advantage of this insurance policy; we as an Organization are trying to reduce the stress, worry, fear, and premature death among members of our society. We want our clients to have a peace of mind knowing that they are enrolled with an insurance company that is reliable and offers the best quality of service. The benefits of this Organization are as follows: we offer exceptional full insurance coverage for our clients mainly dealing with the Malaria. We cover a majority of the cost for doctor’s visits, surgeries, inpatient and outpatient hospital care, prescription drug coverage’s, pediatric services, and pregnancy. We also have full coverage for lab tests performed at hospitals, and clinics. Preventative services including counseling screening and vaccines are also included in our insurance packet. The insurance we offer covers majority of vaccines such as Hepatitis A and B, Polio, Measles, Yellow Fever, Typhoid, Cholera, and Meningitis. Ghanaians are not getting the proper vaccinations they need, and this is increasing the mortality rates in Ghana. We recommend these vaccines to our clients because the majority of the people in these African countries are not getting vaccinated and it is increasing the death rates in the majority of the countries in Africa and the continent of Africa. If this issue is not solved, Africa’s mortality rate will keep rising every year, and people will lose their lives.

Does the Organization partner with other Agencies and Organization

Yes, we have partnered with all the insurance companies in the United States such as Capital Health Plan, Blue Cross Blue Shields, United Healthcare, Aetna, Humana, Assurant Health, Medicare, Medicaid, and Tricare. These insurance companies have guided and trained us on how to manage an insurance Organization and them, have also given us some training and ideas on how to run a business such as this. All our employees have bachelors or master’s degree, so they are all intelligent, smart people who know what they are doing. Our Organization has also partnered with experts in treating and preventing the spread of malaria and partnered with sociologists from the top United States College’s to help fight against disease and research ways to address and avoid the spreading of Malaria. 

What is the Organization known for?

Saving Lives Health Organization is known worldwide, we are known for our hospitability, commitment, determination, and providing the best insurance coverage throughout the world. Our Organization has been featured on social media as the number one healthcare Organization ever to exist. We have been on the Opera show, Dr. Phil, CNN, and met President Obama and his family in the white house. Opera donated $50,000 to our Organization as well as other people we have come in contacted. Most people we meet always give money to help with the foundation.

How does your organization impact the community at larger?

We have vowed to help better the community’s health care system; my Organization provides the best full insurance coverage to all our communities. Our Organization has changed lives for men and women because our insurance policy is offering excellent services to meet their needs. Our company believes that we have a responsibility to give back to society, therefore, we desire to improve lives of individuals here in Ghana and around the world (Clouston, 2015). The lives of men, women, and children are our most important concern because we want a better future for them and we want to establish an insurance that will benefit their health. We as an Organization understand and can relate to how difficult it can be not having insurance that covers certain things a person needs. In Ghana, Malaria and the lack of vaccines have affected lives, children, and pregnant women. For example, a poor person getting infected with Malaria and not having the financial means to seek medical attention can cause stress upon that person’s life. Or if a child keeps missing school due to this disease, that can also bring a burden unto the family and can cause the parent to lose their job because they have to ask off from work repeatedly. And this can have an effect on money because they are missing a lot of work days. 

The Board of Directors should accept my proposal because as a company we know what the board members expect from us and we are willing to meet their expectations. Malaria has been an epidemic in Africa; specifically, Ghana and our company are ready to help the country abstain from that. Men, women, and children are dying every day due to this disease, and we feel the need to help these people who are financially unstable or cannot receive an insurance that can help and support them. Saving Lives Health Organization will provide vaccination for malaria; our company has consulted with the experts in medical and science fields to assist us in establishing a good solid foundation in Ghana that will educate the people. Over the years, we have provided vaccination for local, other foreign countries, and county government. We are at the forefront of medical science and technology; we have delivered vaccinations to large scale countries. At Saving Lives Health Organization, we will create a database to track all vaccinations. We have the technology to determine which area has the most need for the prevention. A similar vaccination plan will be developed in which we assume responsibility from start to finish for analysis and implementation of the immunization program. We have also partnered with pharmaceutical companies all around the world who will be supplying us monthly of these vaccines. My team wants to be able to provide excellent health care system for these individuals, and we want to make Ghana and Africa free from sicknesses and diseases.

Structure Functional Theory:

This approach views society as a system of functional and interconnected units that work together as a whole to produce a state of stability and order. The founders of the Structure Functional Theory are Herbert Spencer, and Robert Merton, they were the major contributors to this perspective; this theory was founded in the 1800s.It creates a perspective that places the society in the same caliber as the human body. In both the systems, the units are complex systems which function independently to interact with each other to accomplish a given function. They all work in solidarity to complete a given task. In sociology, the perspective explains how our society is structured into stable patterns that influence our daily living, with health included. These models are also known as the social behaviors that come into play whenever a plan of health care is rolled out. The structures give shape to our lives through the various institutions of the society, known as the family, community, and religious organizations. Some of the norms in the communities are complex, such as handshakes, cultural rituals, and religious formations (Holmwood, 2005). Their complexity, however, affects our daily interaction with each other in the society. They shape how we behave around people of a different, or same community. 

The society has structures that are put in place to see that it functions properly. For example, in our case, the health provision that is responsible for malaria eradication in the African country of Ghana requires connecting several aspects of the society together in a systematic manner. This method ensures that the health provision is satisfactory. Combined with education (awareness), health care contributes highly to other functions of the society, such as learning, socialization, and social order. 

According to Holmwood (2005), the functionalism theory is important in the eradication due to its view of the society. Talcott Parsons in 1951 contributed to this theory to support it based on the health of the community. This functionalist sociologist argued that the process of being sick has a meaning in the society as a whole. The patient enters a point known as a “sick role.” Parsons continued that the sufferer becomes part of the “sanctioned deviance.” In other words, in a functionalist perspective, when a person becomes ill, they no longer add to the development of the society. They become the unproductive elements in the structure of the company. Hence, the deviance requires policing, which in illness is the eradication of the disease. This is now the role of the medical professionals. In the functionalist setup, Parsons outlined that the best way of conceptualizing illness is by associating it to the deviance in a society that disturbs its proper function. The main point here is that the person who has fallen sick becomes not only physically disabled but also adherent to the particular pattern in the societal role of being sick. Thus, the act of “being sick” is more than just a “condition.” Within it, there are customary rights and the norms of a society that obliges the members that are in it. 

The perspective suggests that a sick person has twofold rights and obligations. First, the person is isolated and exempt from the societal functions and development. They cannot be able to operate in the standard forms of societal norms. Secondly, the person is not responsible for their sickness. There are external forces that made them be in that condition. The conditions are sometimes out of their control as they are not aware, but in some cases, it is due to their exposure. The sickness that is self-inflicted, such as eating high-fat foods and having obesity, gain less sympathy from the society than suffering from a disease when practicing healthy nutrition and maintaining weight. Also, accidents that are caused by carelessness, such as drunk driving and ramming into a post, gain less sympathy from the society than having an accident due to the inclement weather such as ramming into a post due to foggy weather. On the other hand, the sick person has obligations to meet in the society. First, they try to get well from both the internal and the external factors. The internal factors include immunity fighting the sickness while the external factors include prophylactic administrations. If the person does not consider getting well, the society might not classify them as legitimately ill. This also applies to the individuals who are faking their illness. The other obligation is the sick person has to try to cooperate with medical professionals. For them to be well during the prophylactic administration, they have to follow instructions as provided by the health practitioners. As such, the relationship between the physician and the patient is said to be hierarchical. The work of the professional is to give instruction to the sick person to follow. The functionalist identified four types of unhealthy roles in the society, and they include legitimate, conditional, illegitimate, and unconditional. 

This theory is important in the eradication of malaria in the West African Country of Ghana as it shows the various relationships of the institutions in the society with the people receiving and providing healthcare (Holmwood, 2005). The sick role that is necessary to classify a person as legitimately ill is met in the case of malaria. The people are exempt from the standard functions of the society as their sickness is caused by external forces (disease vectors). The physician also diagnoses the patient to find the Plasmodium pathogen in the blood. On positive diagnosis, they treat the sick people by helping them to become well. Thus, the patient has to cooperate in answering several questions from the physician. In the case of children, the parents or guardians respond on their behalves. This makes the relationship between the malaria patient and the medical practitioner as hierarchical. There is a need to make the communication between the patient and the physician should be smooth, and there should be understanding. That is where the company comes in. The insurance company speaks for those who cannot speak for themselves in an understanding manner that the patients and the physicians can both be in consensus. The organization bridges the knowledge gap to make sure that ignorance does not come between the health of an individual. 

Therefore, our Organization is pleading with the Board of Directors to accept this proposal for our company to join forces with the Department of Health in Ghana and the National Health Insurance Scheme to provide better healthcare insurance for the country and the continent of Africa. The organization will try to bridge the gap needed in the poor parts of the country and Africa at large to ensure there is proper healthcare provision. Everybody deserves the right to adequate healthcare, but we should not limit them to the societal norms that prevent their access to this much-needed necessity (News Ghana. 2017).

Family Systems Theory

This theory puts the view of a family as an emotional unit. The method was developed by a researcher and psychiatrist Dr. Murray Bowen in 1960s. It was introduced to the patients who have schizophrenia after observing their (patients) family history and his (Bowen) family pattern. The theory states that the family is a complex interaction of people that make up that unit. The members are said to be interlinked emotionally. It employs the systems thinking to describe this interconnection and how each family member influences each other. More often than not, the members of the family feel detached from the rest of the unit, while this is just a feeling, according to the theory. This theory holds that the family members are held together with inseparable fabrics that enhance their relationships (Malik, 2013) . During its development, Bowen was interested in creating a treatment system that is centralized and far from the conventional diagnostic ones of that time. It was his belief that any therapist had a problem with their family of origin. The awareness of such challenges would make the therapist normalize the treatment process by observing the behavior of the patients. The profound influence that a family has on the thoughts of an individual makes one think that the members exist in an umbrella of the same “emotional skin.” In a family, the members react to everyone’s need, upsets, and expectations, while soliciting each other’s approval, support, and attention. The reactivity and connectedness make the family elements to function interdependently. According to the theory, if one person changes their functioning, there is a reciprocal shift in the operation in the rest of the family members ( Malik, 2013) . 

However the presence of a differing degree of interdependence, the element is always there. This theory suggests that it is important to address the wider relationship system of the family which plays a significant role in the formation of character within the household. The positions of every family member, just as any other system, are frantically laid out, and several rules come into play. These rules determine the way each member of the family is to respond to the reactions of another member of the system. It is, therefore, predictable to the ways the family interacts and communicates within itself. It is like a closed system that has both positive and negative inputs. For example, if a person acts in a negative way, like abuse another member, the system reacts in such a way to counter the negative inputs from them. The others can punish they (perpetrator) or taken for counseling. Also, if a husband becomes stressed and unable to perform the standard functions in the family, the wife has to take up the roles and fill the space left. The responsibilities pile up as the slack continues to weigh on her. This shift of responsibilities may impact the family in a way that the relationship is maintained, but there will be a change in the equilibrium. Due to the overwhelming responsibilities, the wife may not carry on the weight for a long time thus leading to dysfunction. The theory is important in our case as the malaria disease affect the family members, and it is the function of the others to nature, and ensure they are healing well. Also, in the case of children, the parent is responsible for the wellbeing of the infant by providing the available preventive measures that the healthcare plans reveal. In a family, the responsibilities of the older people extend even to health. They are to keep their children healthy as they follow the instructions of the physicians. After a person has suffered malaria, it is the duty of the other members to offer financial, emotional, and psychological support to ensure they recover fully. The professionals acknowledge that the family dynamics affect healthcare both positively and negatively. The social support is one of the ways the family helps undoubtedly an individual. The social ties have been found to reduce the likelihood of developing complications in the healthcare, while there is a cut case of disability, mental sickness, and mortality. 

The Malaria within the family structure:

Malaria is a mosquito-borne disease. The mosquito-borne disease kills around 900,000 annually. A person’s age and occupation within a family determine their risk of contracting malaria. The family member who works in mines or fields or forest has a greater danger of contracting the mosquito-borne disease. A child greater than 24 months old has 30% higher rate of contracting malaria (Asante, 2011).

Malaria is spread through the bite of the “Anopheles” mosquito. The symptoms are different depending on which type of disease causes the infection. Saving Lives Insurance will try and control the spreading and contract of malaria in high-risk persons within the family structure, and with effort center on increasing the resources (Asante, 2011). Saving Lives Insurance will try to obtain more cooperation with government and the private sector. The educational material will be created. Resources will be made available to those in need. Knowledge will be given on how to find resources. 

The Family and Community perception of Malaria:

Some mothers, including older mothers and those less economically privileged, see themselves as the focus of health workers' negative comments associated with either their parenting choices or their children's appearance. In general, parents and caregivers weigh several factors such as personal opportunity costs, resource constraints, and perceived benefits when deciding whether to have their children vaccinated, and the decision often is influenced by a network of people, including community leaders and health workers (Ojakaa, 2011). Sociological theory suggests that when effective prevention or treatment exists for a disease then social actors should use whatever resources they have, including money, knowledge, power, prestige, and beneficial social connections to access those technologies and mitigate their risk of the disease (Ojakaa, 2011).

Conflict Theory

This theory explains how the disparities in power sharing impact the healthcare wellbeing of the society. The power structures of any society are unevenly distributed between the elements of the systems. This disparity often affects people’s lives. This theory is a development of Karl Max’s theory of conflict that shows there is an imbalance in the society as resources, power and control are unevenly distributed. Several theorists have also contributed to the theory to bring the sense depending on where it is used they are the likes of Max Weber and C. Wright Mills. The former focused on the power and prestige disparities of the society as the sole source of the problems. He brought the essence of struggles between two different, regarding power levels, groups that are in conflict with one trying to push for objection, and the ability to influence the other people due to the honor one holds. Mills, on the other hand, focused on the power of the elite of the United States and created the sense of sociological imagination. 

The Unequal division of power is evident in our daily life. As aforementioned, some of the Sub-Saharan countries are still under the patriarchal system of governance, and the women are marginalized. The inequality shows the quality of health and health care in the marginalized populations. The women are more susceptible to malaria than the more exposed males. The same case applies to the people who come from poor backgrounds. They cannot practice hygiene practices that can prevent them from contracting the diseases. It is therefore very easy to die of malaria in such family than in the precious ones who have all the resources to control the menace. The situation is even worse if one is a woman from a poor background and expecting a child. They are more likely to get ill, and the kind of healthcare they can afford is so inadequate that they run in eminent danger of fatalities. This shows some form of oppression as the women are locked out of the access to the necessary resources that are needed to heal and fight the malaria vice. The men are the one with the disposal to abundant resources thus making them not vulnerable to the diseases. 

The structural inequality brings about the imbalance in the society that makes it imperative to concentrate the resources that are endangered to create social change. Right now, almost all the healthcare initiatives are targeting women and children as the mortality rates in these two groups of the population is higher than the males. The scales can now become even in the change due to the almost even accessibility to health care services. However, the problems of inequality in the society being a social issue, the medical practitioners, in a bid to raise their income, have tried to stay in control of the medicine field by defining the problems as medical ones. The theory suggests that the problems in healthcare are constructed by the inequality brought about by the inequalities in the society. The problem that brings this kind of variation is the excess bureaucratization and the privatization of the health care system that make it harder for some factions of the society to access. The costs become high as the private firms seek more profits. Thus, the theory supports the topic in many ways. First, the society requires harmonization as the resources ought to be brought closer to the marginalized groups. The different groups need to be interacted together to create a sense of harmony within the society. 

In Ghana, there is still the disparity in the way wealth and resources are distributes to the society and thus the need to create a common ground for those who do not have access to the necessary resources. In any developing country, there is a tendency of the elite to suppress the poor to amass more wealth. In the process, the inequality results in bad health for the poor people. It is, therefore, our duty to ensure that the poor people have access to the healthcare required in vaccination and treatment of malaria. This is by our mission and vision. 

Organization Effectiveness

Strengths

Our Organization is focused on providing the maximum care of services to our clients. Our staff is well trained to provide the adequate information to any customer. Our insurance packets are designed in a way to fulfill every need in every household no matter their social class. We provide quick and easy steps in applying for the insurance, and our staff is more than happy to assist with such needs. Private pharmaceutical companies in Ghana and clinics have agreed to partner with our business to help better our community. Local churches and businesses have also made an interest in helping our company by donating money to help function this Organization. The Bank of Ghana and other banks have also decided to help give money towards this Organization to help support the healthcare system. The company is familiar with the geography in Ghana such as the different cities that are mostly affected by this disease. The Organization is also familiar with the language barriers in Ghana; therefore, communication with these people will be very comfortable. The company is also familiar with some of the government officials. The United against Malaria has partnered with our business, and their mission is to aim to build support for universal access to mosquito nets and Malaria medicine in Africa (Cockerham, 2014). They believe there is an urgent need across the African continent for good equipment and winning strategies to stop this preventable and treatable disease.

Weaknesses

Not every insurance company is perfect, so therefore we will try our best to work in the areas we lack. Our company hopes that the Board of Directors would join forces and provide the financial resources for these Malaria affected people. One of our weakness will be that our company is not familiar with the educational component; we have never tried to go to the school system to seek to explain the treatments and prevention of Malaria to children (Clouston, 2015). However, we as a company are trying to look more into that concept because we believe it will be beneficial for these kids to understand the disease. The company will try its best to help these children to have a better understanding of the implications associated with this disease. The Organization does have different insurance packets, but we will need the help of NHIS and the Department of Health to help donate and raise funds for this operation to work. We have to work together as a team for this strategy to work. Otherwise, the company might have a difficult time operating this company. 

Conclusion

Malaria is the leading cause of death in Ghana, and as well as other African countries. There is a saying that an African child dies from Malaria every 60 seconds, this statement is very true, and statistics does prove that as well. This disease overburdens economies in Malaria endemic countries which can affect school attendance among children and some adults. This disease can also drain household’s resources as families as they struggle to pay for repeated treatments. Our company is dedicated to helping Ghanaian residents by teaching and showing them ways to avoid Malaria. We also offer insurances that cover vaccines such as Hepatitis A and B and other beneficial vaccines. 

Our mission is to help protect, and serve the citizens of Ghana with the best healthcare possible among the poor areas and the non-impoverished communities. As a mother, observing all these children and pregnant women dying every day just breaks my heart because I feel their pain and do not believe that it’s fair for the government just to relax and not take any action against this great prolonging issues. The government should have found ways and means to help these low-income families, and they should have enforced it on every Ghanaian to get vaccinated once a year; especially the children who are enrolled in schools. 

My Organization is planning on implementing and providing full insurance coverage for all types of vaccines that these people need. We want to have a new face of the healthcare system in Ghana that is unique among the others. With support from the National Health Institute Scheme (NHIS), the Department of Health in Ghana, and the Board of Directors my company will be able to function well and have no problems along the way. The government of Ghana has to make sure that they take this issue seriously because Ghana is losing too many innocent lives due to this issue and as a company, we do not think it is fair for a human being to be treated that way. Most people in Africa are in poverty, someone’s income is less than the amount of someone in the U.S., or U.K. on the legal minimum wage (Poverty-Our Africa, 2010). Some African countries are destitute, but others are wealthier (often from oil) with extreme inequalities between their citizens. Some people are much poorer than others, so this leads to pressure on the lower income class to be able to afford any health care opportunities. The poverty line is so low there is no way they can fend for themselves, and that is another reason my company is serious about operating this Organization she that we can save lives and better other peoples’ lifestyles.

References

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