President John Dramani Mahama has officially rolled out Ghana’s Free Primary Healthcare Programme, positioning it as a key intervention to improve early access to medical services and support the country’s broader health system.
Launched at the Shai Osudoku District Hospital on Wednesday, April 15, the initiative is designed to bring basic healthcare closer to communities, particularly in rural and underserved areas, with a strong emphasis on prevention and early diagnosis.
Addressing the gathering, the President clarified that the new programme is not a replacement for the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), but rather an added layer to strengthen service delivery at the primary level.
“So the Free Primary Healthcare is complementary to the National Health Insurance. It is not coming to replace it, it is coming to complement it,” he added.
He explained that under the policy, services such as routine screening and treatment for common illnesses will be provided at CHPS compounds without any cost, reducing the need for patients to travel long distances or incur expenses for basic care.
“The Free Primary Healthcare complements the National Health Insurance… it is free of charge,” he stated, noting that patients would only be referred to higher-level facilities when conditions require advanced care.
According to him, cases that go beyond basic treatment will be handled at district hospitals under the NHIS framework, ensuring continuity of care within the system.
The programme forms part of government’s push to expand universal health coverage by tackling gaps in preventive care and easing pressure on higher-level health facilities.
