President John Mahama
President John Dramani Mahama has disclosed that the newly launched Free Primary Healthcare Programme is not a replacement of the existing National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
Speaking at the launch in Accra, he said, “The Free Primary Healthcare is complementary to the National Health Insurance; it is not coming to replace it, it is coming to complement the National Health Insurance.”
He stressed that the initiative is designed to work with the current system implemented by the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), adding that citizens should get the National Health Insurance card.
“It doesn’t mean that, because the Free Primary Healthcare has come, you shouldn’t get the National Health Insurance card. You should still have the National Health Insurance card,” he added.
He further explained that the programme is planned to address gaps within the existing healthcare framework, especially at the primary healthcare level, to promote broader access to essential services, while the NHIS card would remain relevant at higher levels of care.
“At a point of examination and treatment at the polyclinic, CHPS, health centre, health kiosk and clinic level, you don’t need your NHIS card at that point. You just need to show your Ghana Card or any form of identification to show that you are a Ghanaian,” he explained.
The government has rolled out the Free Primary Healthcare Programme as part of wider reforms to improve accessibility, affordability and efficiency within the country’s health sector.
By Florence Asamoah Adom