President John Dramani Mahama is set to officially launch the government’s flagship Free Primary Healthcare Programme today, in a major push toward achieving Universal Health Coverage in Ghana.

The policy, which forms a key part of the President’s social contract with Ghanaians, will begin with an initial rollout across 150 underserved districts within the next two months.

Addressing the media during the Government Accountability Series at the Presidency on Monday, April 13, the Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, outlined the scale of preparations backing the initiative.

As part of efforts to expand access to care, government will deploy more than 350 container-based service delivery points in high-traffic locations such as markets and lorry parks nationwide.

“This is governance with a heart,” the Minister said, stressing the shift toward community-based healthcare delivery. “We are not waiting for patients to come to us; we are taking healthcare directly to the people in their homes, schools, workplaces and markets.”

The Ministry of Health has also begun distributing 24,534 essential medical equipment items to strengthen service delivery at CHPS compounds and health centres across the country.

The programme prioritises preventive healthcare, moving away from the traditional focus on treatment. It includes routine screening for hypertension, diabetes, obesity and cancers, alongside antenatal and postnatal services, immunisations, and treatment for common illnesses such as malaria, diarrhoea and respiratory infections.

It also provides counselling on family planning, menstrual hygiene and safe water practices.

According to the Health Minister, the policy will operate through an integrated referral system. While basic cases will be handled at the community level, more complex conditions will be referred to higher-level facilities, with structured follow-up care at the local level.

“What we are building is a complete system from prevention to treatment to specialised care,” Mr Akandoh noted.

He added that the initiative represents a pathway toward “health sovereignty,” aimed at early disease detection, reduction in preventable deaths, and improved national health outcomes.

The Free Primary Healthcare Programme is expected to significantly expand Ghana’s social protection framework, advancing the vision of accessible healthcare as a fundamental right rather than a privilege.