Free primary healthcare to begin January 2026– Health Minister

The Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has announced that the government’s free primary healthcare initiative will officially be rolled out in January 2026.

Speaking at the 23rd Annual General and Scientific Conference of the Medical Superintendents’ Group in Kwahu-Nkwatia in the Eastern Region on Tuesday, October 14, Mr. Akandoh said the policy aims to make preventive healthcare more accessible, ensuring early detection and effective disease management nationwide.

“As part of our journey towards universal health coverage, one of the major hindrances is cost. Although we have the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), many Ghanaians, especially in some parts of the country are not subscribers. Currently, only about 56 percent of the population is enrolled,” he noted.

He explained that the initiative is being designed to remove financial barriers to healthcare and expand access, particularly for underserved communities.

“What government is developing now is to ensure that at least primary healthcare is free across the country. This will allow us to strengthen preventive care so we can detect diseases early and manage them properly,” he added.

Mr. Akandoh further stated that the government will also prioritise retooling healthcare facilities across the country to support the successful implementation of the initiative, in line with the President’s earlier commitments.