The minister for health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has unveiled the operational framework for the government’s Free Primary Health Care (FPHC) programme, promising a seamless, “people-centred” system designed to eliminate financial barriers to basic medical services.
The initiative aims to restructure how citizens interact with the national health grid, shifting the focus from sporadic hospital visits to a continuous model of community-based care.
Under the new directives, the patient journey begins at the local level.
Residents are encouraged to visit their nearest Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compound, health centre, or polyclinic.
Accessibility is a cornerstone of the policy; the minister noted that care will be delivered through three primary channels: Walk-in consultations for immediate needs, community outreach programmes targeting remote areas and home visits conducted by health workers to ensure no household is left behind.
Taking his turn at the Government Accountability Series on Monday, April 13, 2026, Mr Akandoh said a significant shift in the programme is the introduction of mandatory routine screening. Patients visiting a facility for a specific ailment will now be screened for underlying, undetected conditions as part of a standard protocol.
“This is a system that is connected and continuous,” the minister stated, outlining a clear referral pathway.
If a condition is straightforward, it will be managed on-site at the CHPS level.
However, cases requiring more sophisticated intervention will be escalated to health centres or polyclinics, where expanded services—including basic laboratory diagnostics, maternity care, and minor surgical procedures—are available.
To ensure recovery is monitored, the programme mandates a “reverse referral” system. Once a patient has been treated at a higher-level facility, they will be referred back to their local community health workers for follow-up and long-term management.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
