Original Research Article
Year: 2018 | Month: December | Volume: 8 | Issue: 12 | Pages: 132-142
Exploring Barriers in Health Care Delivery System for Cancer Care in Ethiopia
Zenebu Begna1, Ramila Bisht2
1College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ambo University, Ethiopia.
2School of Social Medicine and Community Health, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India.
Corresponding Author: Zenebu Begna
ABSTRACT
Background: Though the trouble of cancer is increasing worldwide and recognized as the crucial public health crises, the health care systems have been facing great challenges to improve the care given to cancer. Among total mortality in Ethiopia, cancer takes 5.8%. Considering cancer as the public health priority area in May 2017, world governments decided increase the budget expenditure for cancer control in an integrated approach. As of now the best action to deal with cancer problem is to reduce barriers and to give the feasible quality care as much as possible to all in need in spite of any condition, precondition or geographic location.
Methods: qualitative study with in-depth interview by using semi structured tools was conducted in Ethiopia at Black Lion specialized hospital and Ethiopian ministry of health. Study population was cancer patients, health professionals working at Black lion hospital and health experts working at federal ministry of health. Purposive sampling was employed to select study populations.
Results: In general financial problems for both direct and indirect cost and geographical accessibility, shortage of investigation facilities, absence of physicians in their offices, long waiting time for getting the result, complicated referral process and lacking of ability among physicians, were explained barriers by study participants in health care for cancer care service utilization.
Conclusions: the finding showed that this situation deserves more attention both from health policy decision-makers and private donors to eliminate barriers in health care which would improve the quality of health care delivery system for cancer care.
Key words: barriers, health care service, cancer care