UE/R: SOCO PROJECT FACILITATORS URGED TO WORK HARD FOR THE SUCCESS OF THE PROJECT – DCE NABDAM
By – Sadat Dabo
Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has announced that the government is fully prepared to implement its flagship Free Primary Healthcare Programme, with more than 24,000 pieces of medical equipment set to be distributed nationwide to support healthcare delivery
Speaking at the launch of the programme in the Bolgatanga East District, the Minister said the Upper East Region would receive 1,320 of the approximately 9,000 primary healthcare kits being deployed in the first phase of the rollout
Mr. Akandoh also disclosed that the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has released capitation payments covering July to September, with government spending about GH¢35 million per quarter to support the programme
He described the initiative as a major shift in Ghana’s healthcare policy, explaining that while the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) was designed mainly to finance the treatment of illnesses, the Free Primary Healthcare Programme focuses on preventing diseases before they occur
“The game changer is that instead of paying to treat diseases, we are now investing in preventing them,” he said.
The Minister explained that Ghana’s healthcare system will now operate through three complementary interventions, the Free Primary Healthcare Programme, the National Health Insurance Scheme, and the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, popularly known as Mahama Care.
According to him, the Free Primary Healthcare Programme will provide free services from CHPS compounds, health centres and polyclinics, covering common illnesses such as malaria, respiratory infections and diarrhoeal diseases
He noted that the programme will initially be implemented in 150 of Ghana’s 261 districts, prioritising underserved communities, with the goal of achieving nationwide coverage by 2028
Mr. Akandoh clarified that patients referred beyond the polyclinic level to district, regional or teaching hospitals would require NHIS coverage, urging all Ghanaians to enrol in the scheme. He said government is targeting over 90 percent NHIS coverage by the end of 2028 to ensure seamless healthcare access
He further explained that conditions not covered under the NHIS, including cardiovascular and other non-communicable diseases, would be catered for under the Mahama Care initiative
The Health Minister called on chiefs, traditional leaders, religious leaders and communities to support healthcare professionals and embrace the programme, noting that health workers would increasingly provide community and household-based preventive healthcare services
He concluded his remarks by inviting President John Dramani Mahama to officially launch the Free Primary Healthcare Programme
Source – gbcuraonline.com
