Ghana to actualize Universal Health Care Package by 2030

By Linda Naa Deide Aryeetey, GNA 

Accra, April 09, GNA - Mr Kwaku Agyeman Manu, the Minister of Health has called on the government to make a Universal Health Care (UHC) Package accessible throughout the country by 2030, in line with efforts to improve health care delivery.

He said the UHC Package was expected to be a set of health services that meets the health needs and aspirations of every Ghanaian irrespective of their age, gender and social status. 

It would also recognise the different health needs of all persons at different stages, ensuring that the public have access to curative and preventive services, which takes care of common diseases.

The Minster whose speech was read on his behalf at a press briefing in Accra to mark the observation the 2019 World Health Day (WHD), said the package would present to the public evidence–based, high impact interventions to promote emergency care, mental and physical health.

The Health Minister said the government had also begun the development of a UHC roadmap to ensure that Ghanaians had timely access to quality health services irrespective of their ability to pay at the point of use.

“To achieve the goal of UHC; Ghana has identified Primary Health Care (PHC) as one of the key strategies in implementing the roadmap for UHC in Ghana,” he said.

Key strategies under consideration in operationalizing and implementing the UHC roadmap, include increasing enrolment of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and keeping members active as well as making Community Based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) fully functional throughout the country.

Other strategies under consideration are; redesigning the service delivery system to meet the health needs of the people, increase financial resources in the health sector, as well as the private sector.

Civil society engagement; produce and retain human resources for health.

Mr Agyeman Manu said attaining UHC must be a movement and not a catchword, “it must be a reality,” he affirmed government’s commitment to provide the necessary leadership.

Dr Owen Kaluwa, the World Health Organisations (WHO) Representative to Ghana lauded the country for putting in place meaningful health interventions.

He stressed the need for Ghana to strengthen its CHPS system, saying, “Ghana needs to deliberately define, and build on its existing systems and get all actors on board as improved health care delivery is not dependent on the health sector only”.

Dr. Anastasia Yirienkyi, Acting Director of Traditional and Alternative care at the Ministry of Health (MOH) said the centre was working to ensure that more than 100 hospitals inculcate traditional health care in their services by 2021.

Explaining the inclusion of traditional health care into general health care in Ghana, she said presently, there were only 33 selected hospitals offering alternative medical care across the country.

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