The Health Ministry has stressed the pivotal roles non-governmental healthcare providers and institutions play in reaching all persons and bridging disparities in healthcare in Ghana.

Technical Advisor to the Minister of Health, Dr. Darius Osei Kofi, says quality healthcare must address geographical and financial accessibility to ensure inclusivity, which is complemented by private efforts.

He indicated that sustained interventions from private hospitals like the Orion Hospital will narrow health equity gaps and ensure equitable healthcare delivery in Ghana.

Speaking at the inauguration of Orion Hospital in Kumasi, Technical advisor to the Minister of Health, Dr. Darius Osei Kofi, indicates these medical facilities add to strides to fill the gaps of inequalities and complement government efforts in healthcare access.

According to him, private hospitals can leverage partnerships with the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to expand coverage and access financing support.

“Private hospitals complement the healthcare needs of the country. When talking about the dimensions of quality care, geographical access and financial access are factored in. And with the improvement with the national health insurance scheme, even though they are private facilities, they should take advantage of making sure there's equity in health care that the poor can afford.

“If that happens then there is improvement in health financing. So private institutions can take advantage of the national health insurance partnership with private institutions and corporate organizations,” he said.

The inauguration of the Orion Hospital in Kumasi brought together health experts and authorities who underscored the important role the facility will play in supporting health care in the Ashanti region.

The 43-bed capacity specialist facility provides laboratory services, has an ICU equipped with ventilators, a fully functioning emergency unit and ranging wards.

Chief Executive Officer, Dr Kwabena Achamfour Ababio says the Orion Hospital comes as an intervention in response to potential shortcomings in the healthcare system exposed by the 2019 pandemic.

“During the COVID pandemic, Komfo Anokye was in short supply of ventilators, and that exposed the vulnerabilities that needed to be enforced. These informed interventions including ours that have come to fill the gaps.

“We produce our own oxygen, so we are in an adequate supply of it. Stable Power supply and alternatives. We have four fully equipped theatres for every surgery that you can think of.  With specialists from consultants and experts to provide the services people would require,” he said.

The Ashanti Regional Director of Health Services, Dr. Fred Adomako-Boateng, says consistent collaboration with the private health sector will lead to full provision of universal health coverage.

“The state of Healthcare in Ghana is a shared responsibility. The landscape is a dynamic and evolving one, especially with a growing population and the emergence of complex health challenges. The demand for comprehensive high quality healthcare is critical, and the Ghana Health Services has a mandate to ensure that.

“We cannot address the increasing health issues alone. It requires collaboration, innovation and synergy between private stakeholders to achieve universal health coverage. The establishment today exposes the power of the private sector to expand access and provision of specialized expertise,” he said.