Mahama’s promise for free primary healthcare a display of his ignorance – Dr Nsiah Asare

Presidential advisor on health, Dr. Nsiah Asare, has said that anyone who wants to introduce free primary health does not understand the health system in Ghana.

Dr. Nsiah Asare’s comments come following a campaign promise made by Former President and flagbearer of the NDC Mr. John Dramani Mahama that his next government is going to provide free primary healthcare saying “this will remove cost as a barrier to health care and ensure health for all.”

According to Mr. Mahama, “despite the implementation of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), some gaps still remained in the delivery of universal healthcare in the country”, hence the new policy would come to address those gapes it is currently facing.

He also noted that, “the free primary healthcare plan, which will be available to all patients in CHPS compounds, polyclinics, health centres and district hospitals, would ensure that the common illnesses afflicting Ghanaians were detected and treated early, before complications set in.”

But President Akufo Addo’s advisor on health responding to John Mahama in an interview with Hello FM said health insurance is already providing the same level of health care for people hence the NPP is only focusing on strengthening the scheme.

"Primary health care is the health care delivered at the basic local level to district hospitals. It includes receiving health care at a policlinic or during an emergency treatment at your first point of treatment, weighing of new born babies, or antenatal clinical. Therefore they includes health services we receive at CHPS Compounds, maternity homes, health centre, policlinic and at the district hospitals are all primary health care."

“What we the NPP are saying is, we are coming to strengthen the health insurance system so that it can provide all medical treatment it was intended to so that people would not have to suffer”. Dr. Nsiah Asare insisted.