Dr. Victor Asare Bampoe, Chief Executive of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), has announced that Ghana’s forthcoming free primary healthcare programme will operate through a layered system that combines community-based and institutional health structures nationwide. In an interview on State of Affairs with Joshua Kodjo Mensah on GHOne TV, he explained that the initiative will anchor service delivery on Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compounds, health centres, and polyclinics.
He emphasised that healthcare workers, particularly those at CHPS compounds and health centres, will be central to the programme, extending care beyond facilities into communities through outreach activities. He further indicated that the programme is designed to expand over time, with additional layers of service delivery to be incorporated as implementation progresses. “When it is fully implemented, you would also have the community pharmacies in the communities being part of it. The school sick bays would also be part of this,” he said.
The NHIA CEO noted that the phased approach will ensure a structured rollout of the initiative, rather than implementing all components simultaneously. He explained that the model is intended to create a more accessible and interconnected healthcare system, allowing Ghanaians to receive preventive, promotive, and basic treatment services at multiple points within their communities.
Dr Bampoe added that the integration of these various service points is part of a broader effort to strengthen primary healthcare delivery and improve access, particularly for individuals who may face challenges accessing traditional health facilities. The initiative forms part of ongoing efforts under the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Ghana Health Service and the Christian Health Association of Ghana, to enhance healthcare delivery through coordinated and inclusive systems.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
