Dodowa: President John Dramani Mahama on Wednesday launched the Government's flagship health-sector initiative, the Free Primary Healthcare (FPHC) Programme, to complement the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
According to Ghana News Agency, the FPHC is a Government policy designed to ensure that every citizen and legal resident has access to essential healthcare services at the primary level, regardless of insurance status, thereby expanding access to quality and affordable healthcare. The launch, held at the Shai Osudoku District Hospital in Dodowa in the Greater Accra Region, marks a significant step towards strengthening Ghana's primary healthcare system and advancing universal health coverage.
President Mahama emphasized that achieving universal health coverage remained a global priority. While the NHIS had significantly expanded healthcare access and affordability, there were still underserved communities, particularly in rural areas. The President noted that countries aiming to achieve universal health coverage must include primary healthcare aspects.
He observed that the NHIS was largely curative, with patients typically accessing care only when already ill. Under the FPHC Programme, community health nurses and volunteers would play a crucial role through household visits, community outreach programmes, health education, and basic screening services. A key pillar of the programme is prevention, focusing on early detection and treatment of illnesses before they progress into more serious conditions. President Mahama stated that every Ghanaian must be screened at least once a year, including basic screenings such as hypertension.
The FPHC posts will be equipped with sphygmomanometers for blood pressure checks. The President stressed that lifestyle and dietary changes could prevent or reverse early-stage hypertension. If treatment is necessary, patients will be referred to the district hospital level. President Mahama reiterated that the FPHC is not a replacement for the NHIS but a complementary intervention. At the primary level, everything is free of charge, including screening and treatment for basic illnesses such as malaria, cholera, and respiratory infections at CHPS compounds.
He explained that patients referred to district hospitals would require their NHIS cards for further treatment and medicines. At the polyclinic, health centre, and CHPS compound levels, no NHIS card is needed, only a Ghana Card or any form of identification to prove residency. For advanced conditions such as kidney failure requiring dialysis, patients will be referred to the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, known as Mahamacare, for free dialysis treatment at accredited centres.
President Mahama highlighted that non-communicable diseases are Ghana's highest disease burden, citing hypertension, strokes, cardiovascular diseases, breast and cervical cancers, and renal failure. The FPHC will also focus on public education to reduce vulnerability to such diseases, urging Ghanaians to adopt healthier lifestyles, avoid heavy meals late at night, and engage in regular physical exercise. Following the rollout of the programme, the President appealed to traditional and religious leaders to mobilize their communities to support the initiative.
The Minister of Health, Mr Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, announced that the first phase of the programme would cover 150 districts nationwide, with phase two expanding to the remaining districts in 2027 and full national coverage expected by 2028. In a goodwill message, Daasebre Kwebu Ewusi VII, Paramount Chief of the Abeadze State and former Vice President of the National House of Chiefs, pledged the full support of the House towards the successful implementation of the FPHC and other national development programmes.