The Minister for Health, Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has updated the public on progress in the implementation of the Free Primary Healthcare (FPHC) policy, reaffirming the government's commitment to bringing quality healthcare services closer to communities across the country.
Speaking at a press briefing on Monday, the Minister expressed appreciation to the various sector agencies, development partners, health workers and the media for their support towards the implementation of the policy since its launch in April 2026.
The press conference was graced by Heads of Sector agencies under the Ministry of Health, including the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr Samuel Kaba Akoriyea and a host of Divisional Directors from the Service.
Addressing the conference, he said the FPHC programme is aimed at taking quality healthcare to the ordinary Ghanaian by shifting the focus of healthcare delivery from hospitals to communities, with greater emphasis on prevention, early detection and timely treatment.
Hon. Akandoh again disclosed that the current implementation will cover 135 districts across all 16 regions of the country, with plans to increase the coverage to 150 districts by the end of 2026. He noted training had been undertaken to equip health workers with the requisite knowledge and skills to deliver the programme effectively. He further explained that the FPHC was not merely about providing free services, but involved significant investment in strengthening the country's primary healthcare infrastructure and systems.
As part of the investment, he said, more than 25,000 pieces of equipment had been distributed to health facilities, with 5,000 basic equipment kits also being provided to support frontline service delivery. An additional 12,000 pieces of equipment are expected to be delivered.
The Minister further announced plans for the distribution of 7,000 motorbikes across the country to improve the mobility of health workers and facilitate the delivery of services to communities, particularly hard-to-reach areas.
He said 217 containerised facilities were also being deployed as part of efforts to expand healthcare infrastructure.
Hon. Mintah Akandoh said the programme was being implemented through a population-based payment system, with the government allocating approximately GH¢35 million per quarter to support service delivery. He also stressed that while services under the programme were free to Ghanaians, they were not free to the government, underscoring the significant financial commitment required to sustain the initiative. According to him, service delivery under the expanded implementation would commence immediately, with the ultimate objective of contributing to the achievement of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
A total of 4,574 health facilities, including facilities operated by the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) and Ahmadiyya Muslim Health Service, are participating in the first phase of implementation in underserved districts across the 16 regions.
He shared an impact story from Atebubu-Amantin, where health workers from Mother Charles Catholic Hospital were collaborating with the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) to screen drivers and other community members for illnesses. The collaboration, he said, demonstrated the community-oriented nature of FPHC, which goes beyond curative services to include preventive interventions such as screening, maternal, child and newborn health services, counselling and home visits.
Further, the Minister of Health clarified that the FPHC package covers primary healthcare services up to the polyclinic level, with patients requiring higher-level care referred appropriately within the health system.
Addressing concerns about the relationship between FPHC and the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), the Minister, explained that a well-implemented primary healthcare system would help reduce the burden on NHIS by promoting prevention, early detection and treatment of diseases before they become more complicated and costly. He also added that the Ghana Medical Trust Fund (Mahama Cares) would complement existing arrangements by addressing non-communicable diseases and other conditions not covered under the NHIS.
The Minister also placed strong emphasis on accountability in the implementation of FPHC and announced measures to monitor service delivery.
He noted the *929# platform would be used to generate 24-hour One-Time Authentication Codes (OTACs) to support verification and accountability for services provided.
He, however, warned health workers and other individuals against fraudulent activities, extortion and bribery in connection with the provision of FPHC services.
He said dedicated contact channels would be announced to enable citizens to report instances of extortion or demands for payment for services that should be provided free of charge, and encouraged the public to use the reporting mechanisms and cooperate with efforts to protect the integrity of the programme.
Touching on strengthening the health workforce, the Minister disclosed that at least 8,000 health workers had been recruited to support healthcare delivery and the implementation of FPHC.
He added that government was also considering voluntary recruitment arrangements to provide additional support to health workers and facilities.
The Minister, therefore, urged Ghanaians to take advantage of the Free Primary Healthcare programme and make greater use of preventive health services.
He said the success of the programme would depend on the collective efforts of government, health workers, communities, development partners and citizens.
054444 – MTN and 6447 - Telecel were announced as the helplines for service support.