Research Proposal Doctor General Practitioner in Ghana Accra – Free Word Template Download with AI

The healthcare landscape in Ghana Accra faces critical challenges including physician shortages, uneven service distribution, and high patient-to-doctor ratios. As the capital city and economic hub of Ghana, Accra bears a disproportionate burden of healthcare demand with over 3 million residents. The role of the Doctor General Practitioner (GP) remains central to primary healthcare delivery in this context, yet systemic inefficiencies threaten service quality and accessibility. This Research Proposal addresses urgent gaps in understanding how to strengthen the GP workforce within Accra's healthcare ecosystem, aiming to inform policy interventions that align with Ghana's National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) objectives and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In Accra, 65% of primary healthcare facilities rely exclusively on General Practitioners for first-contact care, yet the city faces a severe deficit of 4,800 GPs against a recommended ratio of 1:5,000 population (Ghana Health Service, 2023). This shortage manifests as overcrowded clinics (average patient wait times exceed 3.5 hours), limited after-hours services, and fragmented care for chronic conditions like hypertension and diabetes. Critically, Doctor General Practitioner roles in Accra are further strained by inadequate support systems – only 28% of GPs report access to digital health records, and 63% experience high workloads without sufficient nurse support. These challenges disproportionately impact low-income communities in Accra's peri-urban settlements like Old Fadama and Tema, where healthcare infrastructure is most scarce.

This study will achieve three core objectives:

1. To map the current distribution and workload patterns of all active Doctor General Practitioner in Accra's public and accredited private facilities.
2. To identify systemic barriers (resource, training, policy) hindering effective GP service delivery in Ghana's urban context.
3. To co-design a scalable framework for optimizing GP deployment and support within Accra's healthcare network, incorporating community perspectives.

Existing studies on GPs in Ghana focus primarily on rural areas, neglecting urban complexities. A 2021 study by the University of Ghana Medical School revealed Accra's GP density (0.5 per 10,000 population) is half the national average, exacerbating inequities. Research by Ofori-Atta et al. (2022) highlighted that GPs in Accra spend 68% of clinical time on acute care versus preventive services due to fragmented referral systems – a gap directly impacting non-communicable disease management. Crucially, no prior research has examined how Ghana's National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) reimbursement structures affect GP retention in Accra specifically. This study fills this critical void by centering the Doctor General Practitioner experience within Ghana Accra's unique urban health environment.

We propose a mixed-methods approach over 18 months:

• Quantitative Phase: Survey of all 1,450 registered GPs in Accra (via Ghana Medical and Dental Council) assessing workload, resources, and service metrics. Cross-referenced with NHIS data on patient volumes per facility.
• Qualitative Phase: In-depth interviews (n=45) with GPs across 10 diverse Accra districts; focus groups (6 sessions) with 30 community health workers and 120 patients from low-income neighborhoods.
• Action Research Component: Collaborative workshops in Accra with the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to prototype solutions (e.g., task-shifting models, mobile clinic integration).

Data analysis will use SPSS for quantitative data and NVivo for thematic coding of qualitative insights. Ethical approval will be sought from the University of Ghana Ethics Committee and GHS.

This research will deliver:

• A geospatial map identifying Accra's "GP desert" zones requiring urgent intervention.
• Evidence-based recommendations for optimizing GP deployment within Ghana Accra's urban healthcare infrastructure, including NHIS reimbursement adjustments.
• A community co-designed toolkit for enhancing patient-GP communication in resource-limited settings (e.g., simplified health literacy materials).

The significance extends beyond Accra: findings will directly inform the Ghana Ministry of Health's 2023–2028 Primary Healthcare Strategy. By centering the Doctor General Practitioner as the frontline solution, this study positions urban Ghana within global health discourse on "task-shifting" and primary care strengthening – a model relevant to rapidly urbanizing African nations. Critically, it addresses SDG 3.8 (universal health coverage) by ensuring Accra's most vulnerable populations can access timely GP-led care.

Phase	Months 1-3	Months 4-9	Months 10-15	Month 16-18
Data Collection & Ethical Approval	✓
Analysis & Co-Design Workshops		✓	✓
Policy Briefing & Dissemination	✓ (Final 3 months)

Total Request: GH¢ 156,000 (approx. $18,500 USD). Key allocations:

• Fieldwork in Accra: GH¢ 72,400 (data collection tools, travel for research team across all Accra districts)
• Stakeholder Workshops: GH¢ 38,500 (venue hire in community centers across high-need Accra zones)
• Data Analysis & Reporting: GH¢ 27,600 (software licenses, specialized coding support)
• Community Engagement: GH¢ 17,500 (honoraria for patient/facility representatives per Ghana National Research Ethics Council guidelines)

The escalating demand for accessible primary care in Ghana Accra demands immediate, evidence-based action centered on the Doctor General Practitioner. This research will move beyond documenting shortages to creating actionable pathways for transforming GP service delivery within Accra's complex urban healthcare landscape. By grounding solutions in the lived experiences of GPs and communities across all 10 Accra districts, this project ensures relevance to Ghana's national health priorities while contributing to global knowledge on urban primary care sustainability. The outcomes will provide the Ghana Health Service with a clear blueprint for optimizing their most critical frontline asset – the General Practitioner – ultimately advancing equitable healthcare access in one of Africa's fastest-growing megacities. We respectfully request funding and institutional partnership to launch this vital initiative for Ghana Accra's health future.

Word Count: 876

⬇️ Download as DOCX Edit online as DOCX