The Ministry of Health (MoH) and World Health Organization (WHO) have unveiled Ghana's comprehensive Health Financing Strategy for the years 2023 to 2030.
The strategy launch marks a significant milestone in Ghana's journey towards achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by the year 2030.
Addressing a distinguished audience on behalf of the Representative of the President at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Bernard Oko Boye, Chief Director of the Ministry, Alhaji Hafiz Adam said "Today, we take a crucial step towards ensuring that all people in Ghana have timely access to high-quality health services, regardless of their ability to pay at the point of use,"
The Ghana Health Financing Strategy (2023-2030) was designed to align with international standards and commitments, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the African Union Agenda 2063, and various global health initiatives.
It aims to address persistent challenges in Ghana's health financing system, such as relatively low total health spending per capita and high out-of-pocket expenditures.
Key components of the strategy include enhancing service delivery at lower levels of the healthcare system, strengthening purchasing of primary healthcare services, improving provider autonomy and accountability, and addressing revenue mobilization and pooling of funds for the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
Alhaji Hafiz Adam highlighted ongoing efforts, including the review of the Essential Health Services Package to incorporate preventive and non-communicable diseases, tariff reviews for the NHIS, and the implementation of the Network of Practice (NoP) to reorganize service delivery at the grassroots level.
Acknowledging the collaborative effort behind the development of the strategy, Dr. Hafiz Adam extended his gratitude to development partners, agencies, NGOs, the private sector, and the Health Financing Technical Working Group for their contributions.
"As we launch this document today, I urge all stakeholders to actively support its implementation by disseminating it widely and incorporating its principles into their health financing activities," Alhaji Adam emphasized.
Dr. Adam officially declared the Ghana Health Financing Strategy (2023-2030) launched, marking a significant step forward in Ghana's commitment to ensuring accessible and quality healthcare for all its citizens.
On his part, Dr. Frank John Lule, Officer-in-charge of WHO-GHANA Health Development Partners, underscored the critical role of health financing in advancing Universal Health Coverage (UHC) during the launch of Ghana's Health Financing Strategy (2023-2030).
In his remarks, Dr. Lule commended Ghana's decades-long commitment to health system reforms, noting initiatives such as the UHC Roadmap and the Health Sector Medium-Term Development Plan (HSMTDP) 2022-2025.
Highlighting the timeliness of the strategy launch, Dr. Lule pointed out its synergy with other key initiatives, such as the 'Networks of Practice,' aimed at enhancing primary healthcare service delivery.
He expressed satisfaction that the revised health financing strategy aligns with the innovative design of primary healthcare services, providing practical solutions to financing challenges in Ghana.
Addressing the audience, Dr. Lule outlined key guiding principles drawn from past experiences to drive future progress, including prioritizing primary healthcare in allocation of public funds, reducing fragmentation of resources, ensuring transparency and accountability, and exploring cross-sectoral budgeting approaches for multisectoral action.
Emphasizing the commitment of development partners, Dr. Lule reiterated their support in building a resilient health system in Ghana, with sustainable financing at its core.
He urged all stakeholders to continue their efforts to ensure Ghana's health system can withstand emergencies and achieve Universal Health Coverage.
Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith