The Ghana Health Service (GHS), in partnership with the Ghana Red Cross Society (GRCS), has officially launched the Resilient and Empowered African Community Health (REACH) project to significantly boost community health systems across the country.
The official launch ceremony, marks the commencement of a strategic continental initiative funded by the Italian government through the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) with technical support from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
Delivering the welcome remarks, the Director of the Institutional Care Division (ICD) of the GHS, Dr. Lawrence Ofori Boadu, emphasized that the REACH initiative directly aligns with the national mandate to implement effective health policies and optimize public health resources, noting that the project will substantially strengthen community outreach capabilities, address critical social determinants of health, and provide a transparent platform for community-level accountability. Dr. Ofori Boadu expressed deep appreciation to the Italian Cooperation for their robust funding support, highlighting that Ghana is among the primary beneficiaries selected to execute this vital community health framework alongside other nations like the Central African Republic.
The Director-General, Dr. Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, in his keynote remarks, declared that the REACH project is coming at a transformative period for the nation’s health sector, directly complementing the government’s commitment to the Free Primary Healthcare initiative. He announced that 2,300 community health workers will be strategically deployed across four target regions: the Volta, Western, Ashanti, and selected priority areas. To guarantee institutional sustainability, the Director-General outlined key practical steps for the service, including the seamless integration of REACH community health data into the national reporting and referral database, rigorous quality supervision, and targeted community engagement campaigns to eliminate cultural barriers and promote preventive healthcare.
In a related address, the President of the Ghana Red Cross Society, Dr. Edward Donkor, stated that the REACH initiative will be implemented in Ghana over a two-year period spanning 2026 to 2027. A core flagship component of the project involves the recruitment, training, and deployment of 2,300 community health workers to serve as a critical frontline bridge between vulnerable communities and the formal health system. It is envisaged that this investment in the local health workforce will leverage the GRCS's extensive volunteer network to enhance grassroots disease prevention, surveillance, health promotion, and emergency preparedness, ensuring that no community is left behind.