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Investigation into the Perceived Neglect of the Volta Region, Ghana, under Millennium Development Goal 7

Received: 1 July 2015     Accepted: 14 July 2015     Published: 15 July 2015
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Abstract

The Volta Region of Ghana appears to be neglected under the national commitment to the Millennium Development Goals # 7. This impression was informed by the results of a rapid diagnosis of a select group of communities in the region, hence this study. We assessed general government compliance with MDG #7 with specific regard to the Volta Region. We aimed to also help to define the nature and extent of the challenges under MDG #7 facing the region, and propose solutions to implementation difficulties applicable to other regions similarly situated. This assessment was conducted on the legal principle of ‘res ipsa loquitur’, the thing speaks for itself without a comparator regional analysis. This approach was to avoid detracting the focus on the issues specific to the Volta Region to the convenience of comparative analysis. The result shows that many households in the region at both rural and urban places and spaces have no built-in toilet facilities. Waste management at the municipal and household level is a challenge. Open defecation and reckless discharge of domestic waste are twin threats to the public health in the region. This study has validated the earlier suspicion that the Volta Region is being neglected in terms of the provision of basic social and communal amenities. The MDG goal #7 would not be attainable with respect to the Volta Region by 2015 or anytime soon due to the perceived and real neglect of the region.

Published in Central African Journal of Public Health (Volume 1, Issue 2)
DOI 10.11648/j.cajph.20150102.11
Page(s) 14-20
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2015. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Community Diagnosis, Volta Region, Vulnerabilities, Infrastructure, Water and Sanitation, Health and Waste Management, Housing and Income Disparities

References
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[15] J. R. Lori, S. Rominski, J. Richardson, B. P. Agyei, N. E. Kweku, and M. Gyakobo, Factors influencing Ghanaian midwifery students’ willingness to work in rural areas: A computerized survey, pp. 834-841, 2012. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S002074891200051X.
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Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Mavis Pearl Kwabla, Ishmael D. Norman, Margaret Kweku, Wisdom Takramah, Gregory K. Amenuvegbe, et al. (2015). Investigation into the Perceived Neglect of the Volta Region, Ghana, under Millennium Development Goal 7. Central African Journal of Public Health, 1(2), 14-20. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.cajph.20150102.11

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    ACS Style

    Mavis Pearl Kwabla; Ishmael D. Norman; Margaret Kweku; Wisdom Takramah; Gregory K. Amenuvegbe, et al. Investigation into the Perceived Neglect of the Volta Region, Ghana, under Millennium Development Goal 7. Cent. Afr. J. Public Health 2015, 1(2), 14-20. doi: 10.11648/j.cajph.20150102.11

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    AMA Style

    Mavis Pearl Kwabla, Ishmael D. Norman, Margaret Kweku, Wisdom Takramah, Gregory K. Amenuvegbe, et al. Investigation into the Perceived Neglect of the Volta Region, Ghana, under Millennium Development Goal 7. Cent Afr J Public Health. 2015;1(2):14-20. doi: 10.11648/j.cajph.20150102.11

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  • @article{10.11648/j.cajph.20150102.11,
      author = {Mavis Pearl Kwabla and Ishmael D. Norman and Margaret Kweku and Wisdom Takramah and Gregory K. Amenuvegbe and Prince Kubi Appiah and Eric Osei and Fred N. Binka},
      title = {Investigation into the Perceived Neglect of the Volta Region, Ghana, under Millennium Development Goal 7},
      journal = {Central African Journal of Public Health},
      volume = {1},
      number = {2},
      pages = {14-20},
      doi = {10.11648/j.cajph.20150102.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.cajph.20150102.11},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.cajph.20150102.11},
      abstract = {The Volta Region of Ghana appears to be neglected under the national commitment to the Millennium Development Goals # 7. This impression was informed by the results of a rapid diagnosis of a select group of communities in the region, hence this study. We assessed general government compliance with MDG #7 with specific regard to the Volta Region. We aimed to also help to define the nature and extent of the challenges under MDG #7 facing the region, and propose solutions to implementation difficulties applicable to other regions similarly situated. This assessment was conducted on the legal principle of ‘res ipsa loquitur’, the thing speaks for itself without a comparator regional analysis. This approach was to avoid detracting the focus on the issues specific to the Volta Region to the convenience of comparative analysis. The result shows that many households in the region at both rural and urban places and spaces have no built-in toilet facilities. Waste management at the municipal and household level is a challenge. Open defecation and reckless discharge of domestic waste are twin threats to the public health in the region. This study has validated the earlier suspicion that the Volta Region is being neglected in terms of the provision of basic social and communal amenities. The MDG goal #7 would not be attainable with respect to the Volta Region by 2015 or anytime soon due to the perceived and real neglect of the region.},
     year = {2015}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Investigation into the Perceived Neglect of the Volta Region, Ghana, under Millennium Development Goal 7
    AU  - Mavis Pearl Kwabla
    AU  - Ishmael D. Norman
    AU  - Margaret Kweku
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    AU  - Gregory K. Amenuvegbe
    AU  - Prince Kubi Appiah
    AU  - Eric Osei
    AU  - Fred N. Binka
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    DO  - 10.11648/j.cajph.20150102.11
    T2  - Central African Journal of Public Health
    JF  - Central African Journal of Public Health
    JO  - Central African Journal of Public Health
    SP  - 14
    EP  - 20
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2575-5781
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.cajph.20150102.11
    AB  - The Volta Region of Ghana appears to be neglected under the national commitment to the Millennium Development Goals # 7. This impression was informed by the results of a rapid diagnosis of a select group of communities in the region, hence this study. We assessed general government compliance with MDG #7 with specific regard to the Volta Region. We aimed to also help to define the nature and extent of the challenges under MDG #7 facing the region, and propose solutions to implementation difficulties applicable to other regions similarly situated. This assessment was conducted on the legal principle of ‘res ipsa loquitur’, the thing speaks for itself without a comparator regional analysis. This approach was to avoid detracting the focus on the issues specific to the Volta Region to the convenience of comparative analysis. The result shows that many households in the region at both rural and urban places and spaces have no built-in toilet facilities. Waste management at the municipal and household level is a challenge. Open defecation and reckless discharge of domestic waste are twin threats to the public health in the region. This study has validated the earlier suspicion that the Volta Region is being neglected in terms of the provision of basic social and communal amenities. The MDG goal #7 would not be attainable with respect to the Volta Region by 2015 or anytime soon due to the perceived and real neglect of the region.
    VL  - 1
    IS  - 2
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Volta Region, Ghana

  • Department of Health Policy Planning and Management, School of Public Health, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Volta Region, Ghana

  • Municipal Chief Executive, Hohoe Municipal Assembly, Volta Region, Ghana

  • Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Volta Region, Ghana

  • Department of Health Policy Planning and Management, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Volta Region, Ghana

  • Department of Family and Community Health, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Volta Region, Ghana

  • Department of Population and Behavioural Science, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Volta Region, Ghana

  • Department of Health Policy Planning and Management, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Volta Region, Ghana

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