This chapter examines the performance of health workers in Ghana,
distinguishing and reviewing evidence related to two types of performance
issues: (1) health workers who do not possess the necessary skills,
knowledge, or means to carry out their jobs sufficiently (they are not
competent or able to provide services)—a situation often linked to the
lack of necessary education and training or to difficult working environments;
and (2) health workers who do not sufficiently or ethically apply
themselves, their knowledge, or their skills (they are absent, unresponsive,
unproductive, and engage in questionable behavior)—a situation often
linked to a lack of motivation or lack of accountability arrangements.