Bolgatanga: The District Directors of Health Service Group (DDHS-G) has called on the Government and Ministry of Health to maintain their political and financial commitments to the Free Primary Health Care (FPHC) policy to ensure it translates into accessible and quality healthcare for Ghanaians. This appeal was made in a communiqu© issued at the conclusion of the 33rd Annual General Conference of the DDHS-G held in Bolgatanga.
According to Ghana News Agency, the conference, themed 'From Policy to Practice: The DDHS Driving Free Primary Health Care Towards Universal Health Coverage in Ghana,' gathered DDHS representatives from all 16 regions. The event was attended by prominent figures, including Mr. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, the Minister for Health, and Dr. Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), as well as other stakeholders. The DDHS Group emphasized that the FPHC is 'Ghana's most important pathway towards Universal Health Coverage,' with its success largely dependent on effective district and community-level implementation.
The communiqu©, signed by Dr. Justice Thomas Sevugu, National Chairman, and Mr. Martin Sumani Daanko, National Secretary, highlighted the critical role District Directors of Health Service play in converting the FPHC policy into direct community services. It stressed that 'District Directors of Health Service are the principal drivers of implementation, responsible for translating national policy into quality healthcare services for every community.'
The group underscored the importance of maintaining quality in free healthcare, noting that 'Free healthcare must also be quality healthcare: timely, safe, equitable, and people-centered, especially for poor and vulnerable populations.' To bolster implementation, the DDHS Group urged the government and Ministry of Health to guarantee uninterrupted supplies of essential medicines, laboratory reagents, and logistics to frontline health facilities.
Additionally, the group called for equitable deployment of health professionals to underserved districts and sufficient operational resources for District Health Directorates. The communiqu© also appealed for the conclusion of negotiations on comprehensive Conditions of Service for District Directors of Health Services and Medical Superintendents.
The conference welcomed the Health Minister's commitment to strengthening primary health care financing, expanding the health workforce, providing additional logistics, and ensuring that Conditions of Service issues are tabled for negotiation. The DDHS Group commended the government for introducing the FPHC policy, describing it as 'a transformative health sector reform.'
Furthermore, the group praised the GHS for its technical leadership and for developing implementation guidelines, including a directive for regions, districts, and health facilities to redistribute idle equipment and logistics to facilities in need. The group also welcomed the National Health Insurance Authority's (NHIA) decision to increase NHIA tariffs by approximately 50 percent across the board.
The DDHS Group pledged to champion the FPHC policy implementation in every district, while promoting accountability, transparency, and prudent management of public resources. The conference called on the government, Ministry of Health, GHS, NHIA, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, development partners, and other stakeholders to collaborate in moving issues 'from policy into practice,' ensuring accessible, quality, and equitable healthcare for every person in Ghana.