Anesthetics and Analgesics: Ketamine Use and Regulation in Ghana

Abstract

Objectives: Apply PICOT framework analyzing literature on ketamine utilization for anesthesia/analgesia in Ghanaian healthcare facilities to inform policy and practice. Methods: Structured analysis of clinical studies, Ghana Health Service guidelines and databases for trends in efficacy, safety, compliance and access from diverse regions and surgical settings from 2000-2022. Results: Evidence supports ketamine effectiveness but gaps in administration standards adherence, monitoring availability and prescribing oversight threaten patient safety while denying access for remote areas. Conclusions: Balanced regulation updates relaxing provider mandates while standardizing training, reporting requirements and infrastructure upgrades can optimize ketamine’s unique benefits and accessibility for equitable surgical capacity. Scientific Contributions: Original analysis of multi-site compliance rates to usage standards. This policy analysis used pharmacoepidemiologic methods examining impacts of essential medicine guideline adjustments. Practical Significance: Strategic roadmap tailored to resource limitations with discrete recommendations from staffing to digital access to improve judicious use. Recommendations: Target training, administration protocols, inventory tracking, monitoring availability, unified reporting and licensing enforcement.

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