Bolgatanga: Ms Maria Mahama, the Bolgatanga East District Director of Ghana Health Service, has called for collective support for the implementation of the Government's Free Primary Health Care (FPHC) Policy. According to her, when the critical stakeholders worked together, the policy had the greatest potential of transforming the health sector and improving access to essential healthcare services at the community level and accelerate the attainment of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) agenda.
According to Ghana News Agency, Ms Mahama emphasized that policies alone are not sufficient and that the Free Primary Health Care Policy must be owned by all sectors, including the District Assembly, traditional authorities, assembly members, religious leaders, civil society organizations, and community members. The District Director made these remarks during a stakeholder sensitisation and engagement meeting organized by the Bolgatanga East District Health Directorate. The meeting aimed to deepen public understanding of the policy and clarify the roles of key actors in ensuring its successful implementation.
Ms Mahama stated that the policy seeks to remove financial barriers at the primary healthcare level, guaranteeing access to essential health services for all residents, regardless of their socio-economic status. She highlighted that the district currently has 22 health facilities, including 16 Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) zones, three health centers, and three private health facilities, all supported by trained health personnel.
Tracing the evolution of primary healthcare in Ghana, Ms Mahama noted that the country's CHPS strategy originated from the Navrongo Health Research Centre's Community Health and Family Planning Project in the Upper East Region in 1994 before being adopted as a national policy in 1999. Despite significant progress in expanding healthcare coverage over the years, challenges such as inadequate funding for preventive and promotive health services, weak referral systems, and gaps in continuity of care continue to adversely affect service delivery.
Ms Sheila Agandaa, the Bolgatanga East District Health Information Officer, highlighted in her presentation that more than 25 percent of healthcare expenditure in Ghana is still financed through out-of-pocket payments, creating barriers to healthcare access, especially for vulnerable populations. She explained that the policy aims to ensure universal access to quality primary healthcare services without financial hardship and aligns with the National Health Insurance Act, Ghana's Universal Health Coverage Roadmap, Sustainable Development Goal three, and other international health commitments.
According to her, all residents are eligible to benefit from the policy regardless of gender, social status, or geographical location, and no National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) card is required to access designated preventive, promotive, and basic curative services at the primary care level. The package includes annual blood pressure and blood glucose screening, maternal and child health services, family planning, immunization, mental health screening, nutrition counseling, and health education services.
Mr Roland Abane Ayine, the Bolgatanga Municipal Director of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), expressed the authority's commitment to supporting the policy through public education, community outreach, and monitoring of implementation. Mr Jacob Abugre Aka-Eri, the District Chief Executive for Bolgatanga East, described the initiative as a major step toward improving healthcare access and outcomes.
Mr Aka-Eri reiterated the commitment of the District Assembly to supporting quality healthcare delivery through the rehabilitation of nurses' quarters at Zuarungu, construction of additional CHPS facilities, and the provision of maternity and surgical units at selected health facilities. He emphasized that the success of the policy would depend on the collective efforts of government, healthcare providers, traditional leaders, assembly members, and community members, urging them to champion public awareness campaigns.