The Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, says the government’s free primary healthcare policy is aimed at shifting Ghana’s health system from a reactive, emergency-driven model to a preventive one that reduces pressure on hospitals and tackles challenges such as bed shortages.

Speaking at the Government Accountability Series held in Accra on Monday, Mr Akandoh said routine health checks should become a normal part of life, stressing that early detection is key to preventing conditions from escalating into emergencies.

“At least, every human being must visit health facilities at one point or another. At least, you must be doing a routine check-up,” he said.

He explained that the policy is designed to ensure that illnesses are detected early enough to prevent patients from ending up in overcrowded emergency wards where issues such as bed shortages often arise.

Tackling ‘no bed syndrome’

Mr Akandoh said the initiative is directly linked to efforts to address the country’s recurring “no bed syndrome” in major hospitals, noting that prevention remains the most effective solution.

“By the time you get to emergency, they tell you there is no bed,” he said. “So this is an attempt to detect conditions early and prevent them before they become emergencies.”

He argued that no matter how many hospital beds are added, the problem will persist if preventive healthcare is not strengthened.

The Minister revealed that government is also investing in digital systems to improve visibility of hospital bed availability across the country.

He said a command centre is being developed to provide real-time data on available beds in regional and teaching hospitals, including Korle Bu Teaching Hospital and University of Ghana Medical Centre.

“When I’m in my office, I should know the empty beds in Ridge, I should know the empty beds in Korle Bu,” he explained, adding that regional hospitals will feed data into a central system.

He further disclosed plans to establish an additional emergency coordination centre to strengthen response capacity.

Mr Akandoh stressed that the reforms form part of a broader effort to build a comprehensive and integrated healthcare system rather than isolated interventions.

He added that government has completed costing for the programme, estimating that at least GH¢1.2 billion annually will be required to sustain the initiative.

“This is not an ad hoc programme. We have thought through it, we have done our projections, and we know what we are doing,” he said.

The Minister reiterated that the long-term goal is to reduce pressure on emergency services by prioritising preventive care and early diagnosis.

He maintained that strengthening primary healthcare delivery will ultimately reduce avoidable hospital admissions and improve overall system efficiency.