Former President John Dramani Mahama, has reiterated his commitment to delivering primary free healthcare for all Ghanaians if he is voted into power in the coming December polls.
The Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) says the next NDC government will implement this policy by working with the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) to put in place a special arrangement which would give every Ghanaian access to free primary healthcare.
Speaking during his 4-day tour of the Upper West Region, Mr Mahama said the initiative will complement the already existing National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), such that, citizens can access free primary healthcare even without the NHIS cards.
“It is the aim of all countries to attain what we call universal healthcare. Unfortunately, our National Health Insurance Scheme makes it difficult for us to obtain this objective because the payment of premiums at the lower rank of the health delivery system makes it difficult for everybody to be able to access quality healthcare. So we are breaking a new program to supplement the NHIS” he said.
“Let me point out that this programme and plan we are bringing is going to be implemented and supervised by the NHIS But it is going to be a program for free primary healthcare so that at the level of the CHIPS compound, polyclinics and health centres all Ghanaians will have access to free healthcare whether they possess a national health insurance card or not” the former President added.
According to the party, this plan is the “fulcrum” around which the Health sector will revolve if the party is voted into power in the upcoming general elections. The policy is expected to be rolled out before the end of 2021.
The Deputy Campaign Manager of the party, Alex Segbefia, project the cost of the policy at $18 million.
Giving more insight into the promise, the former health minister said the policy will cover persons who seek healthcare services at the district level and lower.
“We have costed it. It is going to cost us $18 million… in that policy, we are saying that anybody who goes to a district hospital and below [will get] free health care.”
Beyond providing access to free primary healthcare, the opposition party expects this policy to ease pressure on major hospitals, allowing them to focus on more critical healthcare areas.
“The plan is to leave regional hospitals to deal with the more serious cases which they are meant for. It is clogging up our regional and tertiary institutions for things that can be done elsewhere. We have to move the people to areas where they can be dealt with; from the CHPS compounds to the health centres to the polyclinics, to the district hospitals” Dr Segbefia noted.
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I’m Deborah Aba Narkoah. I’m an avid reader, writer and public speaker.
