Dr Edward Omane Boamah
The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has said there will be free access to healthcare for all Ghanaians across all the country’s district hospitals, polyclinics, health centres and Community Health Planning Services (CHPS) compounds without health insurance if it wins the December polls.
This was disclosed at the weekly press briefing of the party in Accra on Thursday, 8 October 2020.
Former Minister of Communication, Dr Edward Omane Boamah said there is hope for the country as Ghanaians will have the chance on 7 December to change the current government “which has been a gross disappointment, divided instead of uniting our people, and visited socio-economic pain on many a Ghanaian in several facets of our national life.”
Dr Omane Boamah explained that: “Free Primary health Care will be the single-largest social intervention under the Fourth Republic.
“The Free Primary Health Care Plan will deliver preventive health, health promotion Interventions and curative care.
“It seeks to provide quality health care for all Ghanaians at no cost to the individual.
“And President Mahama has demonstrated his unquenchable determination to implement it. Under the Free Primary Health Care Plan, no Ghanaian will pay for health care in District hospitals, Polyclinics, Health Centres and Community Health Planning Services (CHPS) compounds. Notably, you will not need a National Health Insurance (NHIS) card to benefit from Free Primary Health Care”, he said.
Dr Omane Boamah noted further that with free primary healthcare, the country can avoid needless deaths and enhance the lives of persons burdened with certain illnesses.
“Free Primary Health Care is very important and critical because health is integral to national development. With Free Primary Health care, we shall significantly reduce avoidable deaths due to hypertension, strokes, diabetes, kidney disease and many others… This significant reduction in the death burden will help improve the quality of lives for those suffering such diseases. In addition, we shall intensify public education on preventable lifestyles that can lead to such diseases.”
The NDC added: “Under the Free Primary Health Care Plan, Ghanaians– teachers, health workers, civil and public servants, journalists, students, farmers, fishers, artisans, drivers – will no longer have to postpone the need to see a doctor because they neither have money nor health insurance. With Free Primary Health Care, free means free: walk into the health facility and you will receive care.”