President John Dramani Mahama, has officially launched the Free Primary Healthcare initiative, marking a significant shift in the country’s health system from a focus on treatment to prevention and community-based care.
Speaking at the launch, President Mahama highlighted the growing burden of lifestyle-related diseases and the dangers of late diagnosis, stressing that the future of healthcare lies in early detection and sustained community engagement.
He underscored that the initiative will ensure that basic healthcare services are no longer a privilege, but a right accessible to all Ghanaians at no cost at the primary level.
The programme, he said, will provide free access to essential health services at Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compounds, health centres, and polyclinics.
Citizens will be able to undergo routine screenings for conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and other common illnesses, to detect and manage diseases early before they become severe.
President Mahama further clarified that the initiative will complement the National Health Insurance Scheme, ensuring that patients who require advanced treatment are appropriately referred and covered at higher-level facilities.
The Minister for Health, Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, described the rollout as a turning point in Ghana’s healthcare delivery, emphasising that prevention will now be embedded into everyday health services.
He noted that trained health workers and volunteers will be deployed into communities, markets, schools, and workplaces to carry out screenings and intensify public health education.
Beginning in 150 underserved districts, Hon. Akandoh indicated that the initiative is expected to expand nationwide by 2028.
“With mobile clinics and outreach teams extending care to hard-to-reach areas, the policy is poised to reduce preventable diseases, cut healthcare costs, and build a healthier population, one that prioritises wellness over illness”, he stated.
