GEOGRAPHY
Ghana is located in Western Africa and borders Togo and Burkina Faso. The country is about the same size as the state of Oregon. The land is comprised almost entirely of plains and plateaus. Given its close proximity to the equator, Ghana has a warm tropical climate. The land is prone to drought during the dry offseason, which results in difficulties maintaining agriculture and wildlife.
THE PEOPLE
Ghana is made up of 27 million people and is quite ethnically diverse. The largest ethnic group are the Akan (47.5%), followed my the Mole-Dagbon (16.6%), Ewe (13.9%), Ga-Dangme (7.4%), Gurma (5.7%), and other groups making up the rest. English is the official language of Ghana, but there are 11 widely spoken languages and an estimated 80 languages total spoken in the country. The country is mostly Christian (71.2%), with some Muslims (17.6%). Ghana has a very young population, and could be due for a large population increase in the coming years.
ECONOMY
Ghana has almost half of its citizens working in agriculture, even though it only accounts for 20% of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product. Ghana makes most of its income off of the services industry, and they tap into the country’s rich natural resources with mining and lumbering. The GDP per capita ranks quite low when compared to the rest of the world, as their $4,600 per year puts Ghana 172nd out of 228 total reporting countries and territories. Ghana has 24.2% of its people living below the poverty line. While they are making strides towards having a stronger economy, Ghana is still quite far behind economically when compared to the rest of the world.
EDUCATION
After earning its independence in 1957, the Ghanaian government wasted no time introducing education reform, and they introduced free and compulsory primary education. The first 11 years are covered under Ghana’s education system. After that, students can take an exam that determines if they are qualified for secondary schooling. Ghana has a literacy rate of 71.5%, which falls 15% behind the worldwide average.
HEALTH CARE
Most medical treatment in Ghana is provided by the government. Large cities have most of the hospitals, with the rural areas lacking much in facilities. Ghana has a universal healthcare system, which has been beneficial in improving access to treatment for patients. Ghana is prone to the diseases that many of the countries in the region are, such as malaria, HIV, and yellow fever.
HEMOPHILIA IN GHANA
According to the World Federation of Hemophilia survey, there are 148 people in Ghana living with Hemophilia. With a population of over 27 million, it is likely that many Ghanaians are living undiagnosed. Without access to factor, joint health deteriorates and it becomes increasingly difficult for an individual to perform daily tasks. The Ghana Hemophilia Society was formed in 2004 with the goal of educating patients on how to live with and treat the condition.
