The annual national health summit is currently underway in Accra, Ghana, with participants being urged to propose suggestions on how the nation can mobilize domestic funds for sustainable healthcare financing. The Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, emphasized that such financing is crucial for achieving Universal Health Coverage by 2030, and strategic investment in primary health care (PHC) programs can contribute to this goal.
The three-day summit, held under the theme “Sustainable financing for primary health care (PHC) towards attainment of universal health coverage in Ghana: Role of stakeholders,” aims to assess the previous year’s performance in the health sector, highlight successes and challenges, and outline the way forward.
According to Minister Agyeman-Manu, Ghana’s allocation to the health sector remains significantly below the average allocation of 2.3% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for lower-middle-income countries (LMICs). Government contribution to the sector’s overall budget has remained relatively stable between 59% and 62%, except for 2021 when it reached 64%. Donor funding has been less stable, fluctuating from 17% of the total health sector budget in 2017 to just 6% in 2020, and rebounding to 12% in 2022.
In light of this, the minister stressed the importance of focusing on domestic resources as a key resource mobilization strategy. He called for deeper engagement with local businesses that have well-structured corporate social responsibility schemes to support the healthcare system. Collaboration with other metropolitan, municipal, and district assemblies is also necessary to address issues hindering the delivery of PHC, in line with the national health policy.
Dr. Anarfi Asamoa-Baah, Chairperson of the National Vaccine Institute, gave the performance of the Ministry of Health and the health sector a “B” rating. He cited challenges such as shortages of critical childhood vaccines, brain drain of health workers, and rising prices of medicines and diagnostic tests. However, he acknowledged the sector’s successes in managing disease outbreaks and handling the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Development partners in the sector issued a joint statement, commending the government’s efforts in co-financing commitments and urging the protection of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). They emphasized the importance of a health financing strategic plan to guide sustainable domestic financing strategies, including equitable resource distribution, efficiency, transparency, and accountability.
The summit provides a platform for stakeholders to address the pressing issues in healthcare financing and work towards ensuring accessible and sustainable healthcare services for all Ghanaians.
