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Presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has underscored the need for investment in the health sector for a healthy population.
He said a healthy nation is a wealthy nation and that the next NDC government would prioritise critical social interventions designed to make health care accessible and affordable to all Ghanaians.
Speaking at the opening of a 12-bed maternity facility, financed by the Lordina Mahama Foundation at Bodom in the Nkoranza North District of the Bono East Region on Tuesday, former president, John Mahama reassured of the next NDC government’s Free Primary Health Care policy to bring health care provision to the doorstep of Ghanaians.
“The initiate aims to expand access, and prevent minor illnesses from escalating into severe health issues that require costly hospital treatment,” he explained.
According to him the policy would apply to patients who seek health care from the CHPS compound, Health Centres, Polyclinics and District Hospitals.
Additionally, a community pharmacy model, he said, would be rolled out where health screenings would be undertaken to detect health conditions at their incubation stages before they became chronic.
The former president reiterated that the next NDC government plan to implement the Ghana Medical Care Trust to support the management of chronic diseases such as kidney disease, diabetes, cancers, hypertension, and sickle cell, amongst others.
These conditions, he noted, were crippling many families financially, stating that the goal is to ease the burden and allow families to focus on healing than worrying about bills.
For kidney sickness for instance, he stated that, “the status quo is worrying and we intend to open dialysis centres across the country that are within reach to communities because it seems we have a pandemic of kidney disease.
“I want to assure you that our commitment to inclusive health care will extend beyond policies to practical on-the-ground support,” he stressed.
On her part, Mrs Mahama was hopeful the facility would meet the maternal needs of residents and provide the convenient place of delivery for mothers.
“Maternal care is not just a woman issue but a national issue. When a woman receives quality health care, it contributes to her well-being and that of the child. Health care is not a privilege but human right,” she said.
The facility has a delivery room, a neonatal intensive care unit, and dedicated place for post natal care.
FROM JULIUS YAO PETETSI,
BODOM
