The Northern Regional Minister, Mr Ali Adolf John Mburidiba, has launched the Free Primary Healthcare Policy in Tamale, calling for a stronger, accessible and community-centered healthcare system across the region.
He said the policy, which formed part of the government’s vision to reset the health sector, would shift greater attention towards disease prevention, early detection and bringing quality healthcare closer to the people.
The policy is being implemented in phases, beginning with underserved districts, with nationwide coverage expected between 2026 and 2028.
Launching the policy in Tamale on Wednesday, Mr Mburidiba said healthcare delivery should go beyond treating people after they fell sick to preventing diseases, detecting them early and ensuring access to essential services within communities.
The programme provides essential primary healthcare services free of charge at CHPS compounds, health centres and polyclinics, including screening for hypertension, diabetes and cancers, maternal and child healthcare, immunisation and treatment of common illnesses.
The launch brought together health professionals, development partners, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives, traditional leaders, heads of departments and other stakeholders.
Mr Mburidiba commended the Northern Regional Health Directorate, the Ghana Health Service and frontline health workers for their continued commitment to improving healthcare delivery in the region.
He said the policy was particularly important to the Northern Region, where geographical and socio-economic conditions sometimes limited access to healthcare.
He, therefore, called for CHPS compounds, health centres and other primary-level facilities to be adequately resourced to provide accessible, responsive and quality services to communities.
Mr Mburidiba disclosed that 14 municipalities and districts in the region had been selected for the first phase of the programme.
He said funds had been transferred to the implementing districts, while medical equipment was being distributed to selected service delivery points.
The Minister urged Regional and District Health Management Teams to ensure that resources allocated under the programme were used efficiently, transparently and strictly for their intended purposes.
He also called for stronger monitoring and accountability mechanisms to ensure that the benefits of the policy reached the intended beneficiaries.
Mr Mburidiba stressed that improving healthcare required more than providing services at the point of care, saying it required sustained investment in disease prevention, primary healthcare, specialised treatment, infrastructure, medical equipment, human resources and sustainable health financing.
He said the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, popularly known as MahamaCares, was another important government intervention aimed at reducing the financial burden associated with chronic and debilitating diseases.
According to him, the Fund would support patients suffering from conditions including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, chronic kidney disease and stroke, as well as healthcare infrastructure, medical equipment, specialist training and research.
Mr Mburidiba said the success of the Free Primary Healthcare Policy would depend on the commitment of stakeholders beyond the launch.
He stressed that free healthcare must go hand in hand with quality healthcare, adding that every citizen who visited a health facility deserved to be treated with dignity, respect and professionalism.
FROM YAHAYA NUHU NADAA, TAMALE
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