The Ghana Prisons Service has launched a Prisons Medicine and Equipment Bank Initiative aimed at strengthening healthcare delivery across correctional facilities nationwide.

The initiative, unveiled on March 26, 2026, at the Assemblies of God Church Ringway in Accra, is designed to ensure a steady supply of essential medicines and medical equipment for inmates, while improving the management of both acute and chronic health conditions.

Held under the theme “Prison Health is Public Health: Strategic Mobilisation of Drugs and Medical Supplies for Prisoners Across the Country,” the programme forms part of the Service’s broader Think Prisons 360° agenda.

In her welcome address, Director-General of Prisons, Patience Baffoe-Bonnie, described the initiative as a bold step towards safeguarding the health and dignity of both inmates and officers.

She explained that the platform would serve as a coordinated system for mobilising, managing, and distributing medical supplies across prison facilities.

Mrs. Baffoe-Bonnie stressed that the intervention goes beyond routine healthcare delivery, framing access to quality medical care as a fundamental human rights issue that must not be overlooked within the prison system.

Delivering solidarity messages, Chairman of the Pharmacy Council of Ghana, Joseph Yieleh Chireh, called on stakeholders to support the initiative through timely donations of quality medicines.

Chairman of the Prisons Service Council, Alexander Kumi-Larbi, also commended the leadership of the Service for prioritising inmate welfare.

The Managing Director of SIC Life Insurance, Solomon Twum Barima, and Minister for Local Government, Rita Naa Odoley Sowah, pledged institutional support and urged other organisations to contribute to the initiative.

Deputy Minister of Health, Grace Ayensu-Danquah, who shared her professional experience working with the Prisons Service, officially launched the programme.

The event brought together members of the Prisons Directorate and key stakeholders, including representatives from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the US Embassy Ghana, GLICO Life Company Limited, and DCL Laboratories.

The initiative is expected to significantly improve access to healthcare services within prisons, reinforcing the link between inmate health and broader public health outcomes.