Accra: The Ranking Member on Parliament's Health Committee, Dr Nana Ayew Afriye, has strongly criticised the government's planned allocation of GHS1.2 billion annually to the proposed Free Primary Healthcare programme, describing the move as a misplaced priority. Speaking to GhanaWeb, he questioned the rationale behind the policy, particularly at a time when several critical healthcare infrastructure projects remain incomplete.
According to Ghana Web, Dr Ayew Afriye's remarks follow disclosures by the Minister of Health on the projected annual cost of the programme, which is aimed at expanding access to basic healthcare services across the country. Dr Ayew Afriye argued that Ghana already has an existing framework for delivering primary healthcare through Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compounds, supported by community health workers and auxiliary nurses.
He added that no fees for new primary healthcare would be required, as only a National ID is needed. He noted that the issue is not a lack of public awareness about preventive healthcare, as education is already ongoing at the community level. Dr Ayew Afriye questioned, "Who doesn't know about good dietary behaviour to reduce non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes? Who doesn't know about promotive healthcare? There are community health workers or auxiliary nurses who continuously educate people."
The lawmaker further expressed concern over the condition of existing health facilities, noting that many district hospitals continue to operate in outdated structures, including colonial-era buildings and repurposed CHPS compounds. He insisted that the government's immediate focus should be on completing ongoing hospital projects under the Agenda 111 initiative, which was launched to address gaps in healthcare infrastructure nationwide.
He emphasized that this would help reduce excessive referrals to regional and tertiary hospitals, thereby addressing the 'no bed syndrome.' Completing these projects would also create both direct and indirect employment opportunities for health workers and support staff. "The most important thing is that every place has a CHPS compound and a health centre. What they lack are modern district hospitals," he emphasised.
Dr Ayew Afriye further noted that the Network of Practice (NoP), introduced under the previous administration, is designed to make specialists available at the community level. He proposed a phased approach to completing Agenda 111 projects over the next decade, arguing that such a strategy would yield more sustainable and impactful results.
He criticized the government for investing nearly GHS4.7 billion into Agenda 111, yet many of the projects remain uncompleted at various stages, with some nearing completion. Dr Ayew Afriye stated, "Because of political reasons, this has been abandoned, and now the NDC government is committing GHS1.2 billion annually to a new, so-called politically motivated Free Primary Healthcare programme."
While acknowledging the importance of strengthening primary healthcare, Dr Ayew Afriye stressed the need for a more balanced and strategic allocation of resources, prioritising the completion of critical infrastructure already underway before introducing new large-scale spending commitments.