Mahama questioned over free primary healthcare promise

Managing Editor of the Custodian Newspaper, Awudu Mahama has questioned the trustworthiness of Ex-president John Dramani Mahama’s promise of providing free primary healthcare to Ghanaians when elected into power.

The flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the outdooring ceremony of his running mate, Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang, promised free primary healthcare to Ghanaians when he takes over the wields of power.

However, Awudu Mahama in the special ‘Editors’ Take’ of the Happy Morning Show argued that the erstwhile president had the opportunity to implement a free primary healthcare policy when he was in power but he didn’t do so.

“Under former President Mahama, in April, a committee was set up led by Chris Attim; a health economist who was a PNDC member. The committee did its work and brought a report. In the report, one of the recommendations was primary healthcare which they recommended should be implemented.

Mahama was president in 2016 when the recommendation came. What did he do with this recommendation about primary healthcare? He didn’t make any attempt to implement it while he was in power so how will Ghanaians trust that he will implement free primary healthcare when he comes to power”, he stated.

In 2016, a NHIS review committee was set up to review processes of the NHIS.

The Committee chaired by Dr. Chris Atim, tabled a proposal that the scheme be restricted to a compulsory primary healthcare and maternal and child healthcare provision. This according to the committee will make the scheme more focused and a major vehicle for Universal Health.