By Prince Ahenkorah
Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has outlined the full scope of Ghana’s primary healthcare policy, describing it as the backbone of a resilient health system capable of meeting most of the country’s medical needs.
He indicated that these services address the majority of health concerns among the population, noting that surveys show about 80% of Ghana’s health needs fall within primary healthcare.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series in Accra on Monday, April 13, 2026, the Health Minister explained that the policy is designed to ensure that every Ghanaian who visits a primary health facility can access a broad and comprehensive range of essential health services.
“In clear terms, it ensures that when a Ghanaian visits a primary health facility, they will be able to receive a range of essential services, and this includes routine screening for conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and mental health screening,” he said.
He further elaborated that the services go beyond basic treatment and focus on early detection and prevention. These include cancer screening and a wide range of maternal and child healthcare services, such as antenatal care, postnatal care, immunisation, and growth monitoring, all of which are critical to improving health outcomes and reducing mortality rates.
According to him, the policy also places strong emphasis on preventive healthcare and public health education. This involves counselling on non-communicable diseases (NCDs), promoting healthy lifestyles, family planning services, immunisation awareness, safe water practices, and menstrual hygiene education.
These interventions are aimed at reducing the long-term burden of disease and improving overall community health.
“It also includes cancer screening, maternal and child health services such as antenatal care, postnatal care, immunisation and growth monitoring as well as health promotion activities such as NCD risk counselling, promotion of family planning, immunisation, safe water management, menstrual hygiene and the treatment of common conditions like malaria, diarrhoea and respiratory infections,” he added.
The Minister noted that treatment at the primary healthcare level will also cover common illnesses such as malaria, diarrhoea, and respiratory infections, which remain among the leading causes of outpatient visits in Ghana.
In addition, primary facilities will provide basic emergency care, counselling services, and referrals to higher-level facilities when necessary, ensuring continuity of care within the health system.
“These are the services that address the majority of health needs in our population, and surveys have it that about 80% of our health needs are the primary healthcare,” the Minister reiterated.
He stressed that strengthening primary healthcare is critical to improving the overall performance and sustainability of the health system.
According to him, a strong foundation at the primary level will significantly reduce the burden on secondary and tertiary healthcare facilities, allowing them to focus on more complex cases.
“So if we get our primary healthcare right, what it means is that we are getting the system right and we will have a resilient health sector and health system,” he said.