The Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has revealed that only about two-thirds of the country’s population is covered by the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), a gap that has necessitated the upcoming rollout of the government’s Free Universal Primary Healthcare policy to enhance access to essential health services for all citizens.
The revelation was made at a press briefing outlining the modalities for the successful implementation of the flagship policy and to engage the public on what to expect.
Mr. Akandoh noted that a careful review of data in the health sector has shown that a significant number of citizens remain outside state-assisted health interventions and are therefore vulnerable to disease burdens.
“The rollout of the Free Primary Healthcare policy is a very strategic move by the Mahama-led administration to bring on board the one-third of the population that falls outside the pool of subscribers to the existing National Health Insurance Scheme, in order to provide tailored clinical care in cases of emergency,” he said.
The minister added that limited access to critical care and uneven distribution of medical equipment across the country are being addressed incrementally through the policy, with the government committing dedicated resources to cover a package of essential healthcare services.
“The policy seeks to close the gap by strengthening primary healthcare delivery at basic facilities such as polyclinics, health centres, and CHPS compounds (Community-based Health Planning and Services). These services will be provided free of charge by the state upon presentation of a valid national identity card, thereby reducing the burden of out-of-pocket payments,” he explained.
The policy remains a top priority for the government as it seeks to deliver quality and affordable healthcare services to the doorsteps of all Ghanaians across the country.
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Story by Sika Togoh | univers.ug.edu.gh
Edited by Gabriel Tecco Mensah
