Access to Healthcare and Spatialisation of Resources in Sub-saharan Africa: A GIS Solution to Mobility and Treatment of Patients in the West Region of Cameroon

Tende Renz Tichafogwe; Nkumbesone Makoley; Kana Clavel Djibril

doi:doi:10.11648/j.urp.20220701.11

| Peer-Reviewed

Access to Healthcare and Spatialisation of Resources in Sub-saharan Africa: A GIS Solution to Mobility and Treatment of Patients in the West Region of Cameroon

Tende Renz Tichafogwe, Nkumbesone Makoley, Kana Clavel Djibril

Published in Urban and Regional Planning (Volume 7, Issue 1)

Received: 30 October 2021 Accepted: 25 November 2021 Published: 16 February 2022

Views: Downloads:

Download PDF

Share This Article

Twitter
Linked In
Facebook

Abstract

Access to health and availability of sanitary resources is a major deterrent to mobility and treatment in sub-Saharan African towns. If it is not a problem of distance, perhaps it will be that of existing health infrastructure and know-how. This article posits that the incongruence in the availability of health units and unsatisfactory alertness has affected care in the West Region. A physical- access-ratio analysis was done to determine the distance between the health resources and population through a GPS and WGS 84 for the presentation of results. Some 120 questionnaires were administered to patients and health personnel to have first-hand information on the ratio and health need of the area. Results from findings divulge an unequal distribution of health units in the West with 51.3% concentrated in five districts and 48.7% in fifteen. The ratio of population to available health unit is 2,543 inhabitants per unit which is commendable to the WHO 10,000 inhabitants per unit standard. Unfortunately this ratio is unevenly distributed within the region as districts with a high prevalence level of diseases possess less health units. The region is 78.6% accessible in the distance of households to health unit of 5km maximum of WHO standard with 21.4% of some areas at 20km away. With an uneven distribution of inhabitants to health personnel in the region, there is a need to re-adjust the ratio. This paper advocates for a health unit and resources map to facilitate mobility and reduce health discrepancies at best in the area.

Published in	Urban and Regional Planning (Volume 7, Issue 1)
DOI	10.11648/j.urp.20220701.11
Page(s)	1-9
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), 2022. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Access to Healthcare, Disparity in Health Units, Diseases Exposure, GIS, West Region

References

[1]	ADESOLA WOJUADE C., and OLAWALE FADARE S., 2014, Accessibility of Health Facilities to Residents in Ibadan, Nigeria. Research on Humanities and Social Sciences, Vol. 4, No. 6, 2014, 9-14.
[2]	BARANKANIRA E, 2015, Analyse spatiale des problèmes de santé publique en Afrique subsaharienne: exemple du VIH/SIDA et de la malnutrition 227p.
[3]	GIROND F., 2017, Mise en place d’un système d’information géographique pour la détection précoce et la prédiction des épidémies de paludisme à Madagascar. 110pg.
[4]	HUTTINGER A., DREIBELBIS R., KAYIGAMBA F., NGABO F., MFURA L., MERRYWEATHER B., CARDON A., and MOE C., 2017, Water, sanitation and hygiene infrastructure and quality in rural healthcare facilities in Rwanda. BMC Health Services Research (2017) 17: 517, 1-11, DOI 10.1186/s12913-017-2460-4.
[5]	KAMEL BOULOS ROUDSARI A. V., and CARSON E. R., 2001, Health Geomatics: An enabling suite of technologies in health and healthcare. Journal of Biomedical Informatics, 34 (3), 195-219.
[6]	MCMICHAEL A., J., and BUTLER C., D., 2013, Emerging health issues: the widening challenge for population health promotion. Health Promotion International, Vol. 21 No. S1, 15-24, doi: 10.1093/heapro/dal047.
[7]	MEVA’A ABOMO D., BA’ANA ETOUNDI M. L., MOUKAM N., NGANAFEI S., 2017, Géopolitique de métropolisation de la sante publique au Cameroun: défis et enjeux, In Dynamiques urbaines et Transformation socio-spatial dans les villes du Cameroun, CERAD-ACP, Vol. 6, pp: 229-250.
[8]	NDI H. N and NGUENDO YONGSI H. B., 2018, Introduction to Health Geography, Book Guild Ltd, 215p.
[9]	NDI H. N and TAKEM-MBI B. M, 2009, The urban health district in Cameroon: Theory versus application: Loyola Journal of Social Sciences, Vol. XXIIII (1): 7-26.
[10]	NGUENDO YONGSI H. B., 2007, Prevalence and spatial disparities of infectious diseases with regards to the physical environment in Yaounde-Cameroon. Journal of Health and Development, 3 (1&2) 123-145.
[11]	NGUENDO YONGSI H. B., 2014, An assessment of hygiene practices and health status of street-food vendors in Yaounde- Cameroon, International Journal of Tropical Geography, 1 (2), 24-36.
[12]	NJIMANTED G. F., NFOR O. N., YAKUM I. M., and MBOHJIM O. M., 2017, HOUSEHOLDS’ CHOICES OF HEALTHCARE SERVICES IN THE NORTH WEST REGION OF CAMEROON. Journal of the Cameroon Academy of Sciences Vol. 14 No. 1 (2017), 41-55, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/jcas.v14i1.4
[13]	SIELIENOU I., MAGNE TAMGA D. D., TANKWA J. M., MUNTEH P. A., & LONGANG TCHATCHOUANG E. V., 2021, Strategic Health Purchasing Progress Mapping in Cameroon: A Scoping Review, Health Systems & Reform, 7: 1, e1909311-15, DOI: 10.1080/23288604.2021.1909311.
[14]	TANSER F., HOSEGOOD V., BENZELER J., SOLARSH G., 2001, New approaches to spatial analysis of primary healthcare usage patterns in rural South Africa. Tropical Medicine International Health, 6 (10), 826-838.
[15]	WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION, 2014, Health in 2015: from MDGs in SDGs. Geneva, 204p.

Cite This Article

Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Tende Renz Tichafogwe, Nkumbesone Makoley, Kana Clavel Djibril. (2022). Access to Healthcare and Spatialisation of Resources in Sub-saharan Africa: A GIS Solution to Mobility and Treatment of Patients in the West Region of Cameroon. Urban and Regional Planning, 7(1), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.urp.20220701.11

Copy | Download

ACS Style

Tende Renz Tichafogwe; Nkumbesone Makoley; Kana Clavel Djibril. Access to Healthcare and Spatialisation of Resources in Sub-saharan Africa: A GIS Solution to Mobility and Treatment of Patients in the West Region of Cameroon. Urban Reg. Plan. 2022, 7(1), 1-9. doi: 10.11648/j.urp.20220701.11

Copy | Download

AMA Style

Tende Renz Tichafogwe, Nkumbesone Makoley, Kana Clavel Djibril. Access to Healthcare and Spatialisation of Resources in Sub-saharan Africa: A GIS Solution to Mobility and Treatment of Patients in the West Region of Cameroon. Urban Reg Plan. 2022;7(1):1-9. doi: 10.11648/j.urp.20220701.11

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.urp.20220701.11,
  author = {Tende Renz Tichafogwe and Nkumbesone Makoley and Kana Clavel Djibril},
  title = {Access to Healthcare and Spatialisation of Resources in Sub-saharan Africa: A GIS Solution to Mobility and Treatment of Patients in the West Region of Cameroon},
  journal = {Urban and Regional Planning},
  volume = {7},
  number = {1},
  pages = {1-9},
  doi = {10.11648/j.urp.20220701.11},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.urp.20220701.11},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.urp.20220701.11},
  abstract = {Access to health and availability of sanitary resources is a major deterrent to mobility and treatment in sub-Saharan African towns. If it is not a problem of distance, perhaps it will be that of existing health infrastructure and know-how. This article posits that the incongruence in the availability of health units and unsatisfactory alertness has affected care in the West Region. A physical- access-ratio analysis was done to determine the distance between the health resources and population through a GPS and WGS 84 for the presentation of results. Some 120 questionnaires were administered to patients and health personnel to have first-hand information on the ratio and health need of the area. Results from findings divulge an unequal distribution of health units in the West with 51.3% concentrated in five districts and 48.7% in fifteen. The ratio of population to available health unit is 2,543 inhabitants per unit which is commendable to the WHO 10,000 inhabitants per unit standard. Unfortunately this ratio is unevenly distributed within the region as districts with a high prevalence level of diseases possess less health units. The region is 78.6% accessible in the distance of households to health unit of 5km maximum of WHO standard with 21.4% of some areas at 20km away. With an uneven distribution of inhabitants to health personnel in the region, there is a need to re-adjust the ratio. This paper advocates for a health unit and resources map to facilitate mobility and reduce health discrepancies at best in the area.},
 year = {2022}
}

Copy | Download

TY - JOUR
T1 - Access to Healthcare and Spatialisation of Resources in Sub-saharan Africa: A GIS Solution to Mobility and Treatment of Patients in the West Region of Cameroon
AU - Tende Renz Tichafogwe
AU - Nkumbesone Makoley
AU - Kana Clavel Djibril
Y1 - 2022/02/16
PY - 2022
N1 - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.urp.20220701.11
DO - 10.11648/j.urp.20220701.11
T2 - Urban and Regional Planning
JF - Urban and Regional Planning
JO - Urban and Regional Planning
SP - 1
EP - 9
PB - Science Publishing Group
SN - 2575-1697
UR - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.urp.20220701.11
AB - Access to health and availability of sanitary resources is a major deterrent to mobility and treatment in sub-Saharan African towns. If it is not a problem of distance, perhaps it will be that of existing health infrastructure and know-how. This article posits that the incongruence in the availability of health units and unsatisfactory alertness has affected care in the West Region. A physical- access-ratio analysis was done to determine the distance between the health resources and population through a GPS and WGS 84 for the presentation of results. Some 120 questionnaires were administered to patients and health personnel to have first-hand information on the ratio and health need of the area. Results from findings divulge an unequal distribution of health units in the West with 51.3% concentrated in five districts and 48.7% in fifteen. The ratio of population to available health unit is 2,543 inhabitants per unit which is commendable to the WHO 10,000 inhabitants per unit standard. Unfortunately this ratio is unevenly distributed within the region as districts with a high prevalence level of diseases possess less health units. The region is 78.6% accessible in the distance of households to health unit of 5km maximum of WHO standard with 21.4% of some areas at 20km away. With an uneven distribution of inhabitants to health personnel in the region, there is a need to re-adjust the ratio. This paper advocates for a health unit and resources map to facilitate mobility and reduce health discrepancies at best in the area.
VL - 7
IS - 1
ER -

Copy | Download

Author Information

Tende Renz Tichafogwe

Department of Geography, the University of Yaounde 1, Yaounde, Cameroon
Nkumbesone Makoley

Department of Geography, the University of Douala, Douala, Cameroon
Kana Clavel Djibril

Free Lands Consulting, Douala, Cameroon

Download PDF

Sections

Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Tende Renz Tichafogwe, Nkumbesone Makoley, Kana Clavel Djibril. (2022). Access to Healthcare and Spatialisation of Resources in Sub-saharan Africa: A GIS Solution to Mobility and Treatment of Patients in the West Region of Cameroon. Urban and Regional Planning, 7(1), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.urp.20220701.11

Copy | Download

ACS Style

Tende Renz Tichafogwe; Nkumbesone Makoley; Kana Clavel Djibril. Access to Healthcare and Spatialisation of Resources in Sub-saharan Africa: A GIS Solution to Mobility and Treatment of Patients in the West Region of Cameroon. Urban Reg. Plan. 2022, 7(1), 1-9. doi: 10.11648/j.urp.20220701.11

Copy | Download

AMA Style

Tende Renz Tichafogwe, Nkumbesone Makoley, Kana Clavel Djibril. Access to Healthcare and Spatialisation of Resources in Sub-saharan Africa: A GIS Solution to Mobility and Treatment of Patients in the West Region of Cameroon. Urban Reg Plan. 2022;7(1):1-9. doi: 10.11648/j.urp.20220701.11

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.urp.20220701.11,
  author = {Tende Renz Tichafogwe and Nkumbesone Makoley and Kana Clavel Djibril},
  title = {Access to Healthcare and Spatialisation of Resources in Sub-saharan Africa: A GIS Solution to Mobility and Treatment of Patients in the West Region of Cameroon},
  journal = {Urban and Regional Planning},
  volume = {7},
  number = {1},
  pages = {1-9},
  doi = {10.11648/j.urp.20220701.11},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.urp.20220701.11},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.urp.20220701.11},
  abstract = {Access to health and availability of sanitary resources is a major deterrent to mobility and treatment in sub-Saharan African towns. If it is not a problem of distance, perhaps it will be that of existing health infrastructure and know-how. This article posits that the incongruence in the availability of health units and unsatisfactory alertness has affected care in the West Region. A physical- access-ratio analysis was done to determine the distance between the health resources and population through a GPS and WGS 84 for the presentation of results. Some 120 questionnaires were administered to patients and health personnel to have first-hand information on the ratio and health need of the area. Results from findings divulge an unequal distribution of health units in the West with 51.3% concentrated in five districts and 48.7% in fifteen. The ratio of population to available health unit is 2,543 inhabitants per unit which is commendable to the WHO 10,000 inhabitants per unit standard. Unfortunately this ratio is unevenly distributed within the region as districts with a high prevalence level of diseases possess less health units. The region is 78.6% accessible in the distance of households to health unit of 5km maximum of WHO standard with 21.4% of some areas at 20km away. With an uneven distribution of inhabitants to health personnel in the region, there is a need to re-adjust the ratio. This paper advocates for a health unit and resources map to facilitate mobility and reduce health discrepancies at best in the area.},
 year = {2022}
}

Copy | Download