President-elect John Mahama has promised to collaborate closely with religious bodies in Ghana to enhance the country’s healthcare services, particularly as part of his Agenda 111 initiative.

This commitment was made during a meeting with the Apostolic Fathers, who visited Mr Mahama to discuss the role of religious organisations in the nation’s development.

During the visit, Mr Mahama emphasised the vital contribution that faith-based organisations have made to healthcare and education in Ghana.

He acknowledged the significant role these religious institutions have played in operating hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare facilities throughout the country.

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According to Mr Mahama, their services have been particularly valuable in rural and underserved communities.

“As we work towards expanding healthcare services, we recognise the vital role religious bodies have played in this sector,” Mr Mahama stated.

“We want to see an expanded role for the church, both in education and healthcare.”

In his address, Mr Mahama proposed that the government focus on enhancing and expanding mission hospitals rather than building new public hospitals in areas that already have religious institutions providing quality care.

He urged that resources be directed towards upgrading and expanding existing mission facilities to ensure they can offer the same high-quality healthcare without competing with state-run hospitals.

“We need a change in policy,” Mr Mahama explained. “Instead of building new public hospitals in communities that already have mission hospitals, we should invest in expanding and upgrading these facilities. This would ensure they can provide the same high-quality healthcare without the need to compete with state-run facilities.”

The president-elect also expressed concerns about the inefficiencies in the government’s Agenda 111, the health infrastructure programme, which he believes has led to an overburdened Ghana Health Service.

Many mission hospitals, Mr Mahama noted, have been overshadowed by new government hospitals, placing additional strain on healthcare management.

“Government hospitals are already overstretched, and there’s a lack of professional health administrators to effectively manage these new facilities,” Mahama said.

“We need a change of mindset. Instead of competing with religious organisations, we should be partnering with them, especially in the management of healthcare and educational institutions.”

The President-elect also touched upon the growing trend of parents opting to send their children to mission schools, which are perceived to offer better quality education and because there are better monies.

He suggested that the government consider handing over the management of certain schools to faith-based organisations, reducing the burden on public schools while improving educational outcomes.

“We should explore ways to expand our partnerships with mission schools and even hand over the management of some of them, as this would improve the quality of education and ease the burden on public resources,” he added.

Following the Apostolic Fathers' visit, the President-elect remains committed to finding sustainable solutions to the challenges facing these sectors. He believes that working with religious organisations will be key to achieving these goals.