Ghana identifies districts for free primary healthcare based on level of need
In Ghana, districts for the free primary healthcare program are selected based on the level of deprivation and residents’ access to medical services, rather than political criteria. This was stated by Ghana Health Service Director-General Dr. Samuel Kaba Akoriyea at a conference of district health service directors in Bolgatanga, MyJoyOnline reports.
Criteria for selecting districts
According to Akoriyea, the identification of priority districts considered the availability of hospitals, maternal mortality rates, school enrollment and the distance residents must travel to receive medical care. He stressed that the selection of districts was neither random nor politically motivated.
The head of the service noted that the agency has already identified the districts with the greatest needs through established assessments. As an example, he cited Afram Plains, where geographical barriers complicate access to medical care: according to him, patients cannot reach the mainland without access to a boat.
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Infrastructure and program implementation
Akoriyea linked differences in disease outcomes to the availability of medical facilities and personnel. He mentioned that a person with malaria in northern Ghana may face a higher risk of death than a patient in Accra, as northern districts have fewer public and private hospitals, doctors and nurses.
The program is planned to be implemented through the existing Ghana Health Service structure, without creating new administrative positions. The Director-General called on district directors to identify staff members best able to coordinate work on the ground, regardless of their positions. He also emphasized the role of community nurses and healthcare workers who interact directly with the population and urged managers to support their work.
