The Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has disclosed that the government’s newly launched Free Primary Healthcare policy is designed to cater for millions of Ghanaians who currently fall outside the country’s health insurance system.
The Minister explained that the policy is a direct response to gaps in healthcare access, particularly affecting citizens who are not enrolled on the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
According to him, while the NHIS has played a critical role in improving healthcare access over the years, a significant portion of the population remains uncovered, leaving them vulnerable when it comes to accessing even basic medical services.
“We inherited the National Health Insurance coverage from 57 percent and now we are about 66 percent and what that tells you is that there are over 12 million Ghanaians who are not on Health Insurance and so if you proceed on the assumption that almost everyone is on the NHIS, you are proceeding on very dangerous grounds.
“The NHIS card takes care of subscribers and so if you are not a subscriber, you cannot access the National Health Insurance. You can access primary healthcare as part of the National Health Insurance as a subscriber and 34 percent of Ghanaians are not subscribers.”
The Minister emphasized that the Free Primary Healthcare initiative is intended to bridge this critical gap by ensuring that access to essential health services is no longer limited to NHIS subscribers.
Under the current system, individuals who are not enrolled in the NHIS often have to pay out-of-pocket for basic care, a situation that can discourage early treatment and lead to more severe health complications over time.
He noted that the policy seeks to eliminate this barrier by making primary healthcare services universally accessible, regardless of a person’s insurance status.
This includes services delivered at community-level facilities such as clinics, health centres, and CHPS compounds, which serve as the first point of care for most Ghanaians.
