Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has highlighted Ghana’s recent health sector reforms as part of the country’s contribution to advancing Universal Health Coverage across Africa.
Speaking on behalf of President John Dramani Mahama at the opening of the African Union Ministerial Meeting on Health in Accra, the Minister said Ghana continues to pursue policies that remove financial barriers to healthcare while strengthening services at the primary healthcare level.
He said the restoration of full funding to the National Health Insurance Scheme reflects government’s commitment to ensuring that cost does not prevent people from accessing essential health services.
The Minister also highlighted the establishment of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, known as MahamaCares, which provides financial support for patients living with chronic diseases, including cancer, kidney failure and stroke.
He further cited the launch of Ghana’s Free Primary Healthcare initiative, describing it as a major step towards ensuring that every Ghanaian can access essential healthcare regardless of their ability to pay.
‘‘We restored full funding to our National Health Insurance Scheme because financial access to health matters. We established the Ghana Medical Trust Fund (MahamaCares) to ensure that families facing cancer, kidney failure, stroke and other non-communicable diseases are not left to struggle alone.
And just a few months ago, we launched our Free Primary Health Care initiative to remove financial barriers to essential care, because no Ghanaian should be denied basic healthcare simply because they cannot afford it. These are not isolated programmes. Together, they reflect a simple conviction: that health systems should prevent illness before treating it, protect families before impoverishing them, and leave no one behind.’’ He said.
He also stressed that universal health coverage cannot be achieved through tertiary hospitals alone but must be built on strong primary healthcare systems supported by community health workers, nurses, midwives, physician assistants and other frontline health professionals.
While acknowledging that Ghana continues to grapple with challenges such as maternal mortality, he said government remains committed to building a health system that prevents disease, protects families from catastrophic health spending and leaves no one behind.
The Minister urged his counterparts from across Africa to translate policy commitments into action, saying the success of the continent’s health agenda will ultimately be measured by improvements in the lives of ordinary people rather than the number of declarations adopted.
By Sarah Apenkroh
