Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, the Health Minister, has explained that the government’s new Free Primary Healthcare policy will support millions of Ghanaians who do not have health insurance.
He said the policy targets gaps in access to healthcare, especially for people who are not registered under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). ]
He noted that although the NHIS has improved healthcare access over the years, many citizens remain outside the system.
The Minister revealed that NHIS coverage has increased from 57 percent to about 66 percent. However, he stressed that more than 12 million people still do not have coverage.
He warned that it is risky to assume that almost everyone has insurance.
“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,” he said.
He explained that the Free Primary Healthcare policy will close this gap by allowing everyone to access basic medical services, even if they are not enrolled in NHIS.
He said the government wants to remove financial barriers that stop people from seeking early treatment.
He added that many uninsured people currently pay for basic care out of their own pockets. He said this situation often delays treatment and leads to more serious health problems.
The policy will cover services at community-level facilities, including clinics, health centres, and CHPS compounds. These facilities usually serve as the first point of care for most people across the country.
