'Irrespective of the level of provocation, nobody has the right to attack any health worker' – Health Minister

The Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has issued a strong warning against attacks on health workers, stressing that nobody has the right to physically or verbally assault medical personnel under any circumstances.

The Minister made the remarks during the official launch of the government's Free Primary Health Care programme in the Volta Region on Friday, June 12, while outlining the benefits of the initiative and the government's commitment to strengthening healthcare delivery across the country.

Addressing community leaders, health professionals and residents, the Minister said the success of the new policy would depend largely on cooperation between citizens and health workers who would be deployed directly into communities to provide preventive healthcare services.

He noted that health professionals would be visiting homes, churches and mosques to conduct health screenings and educate residents on disease prevention, urging the public to treat them with dignity and respect.

"These health professionals will be coming to your homes, your churches and your mosques. Please, let's welcome them with respect and dignity. Irrespective of the level of provocation, absolutely nobody has a right to physically attack any health worker," he stated.

Mr Akandoh commended the judiciary for its swift handling of a recent assault case involving a nurse at Community 22 Polyclinic. According to him, the perpetrator was sentenced within a week, a development he described as a strong signal that attacks on health workers would not be tolerated.

He said while health professionals may have limitations, members of the public should use established reporting systems to address grievances rather than resorting to violence.

The Health Minister described the Free Primary Health Care initiative as a major intervention designed to improve access to healthcare services, particularly at the community level.

According to him, the policy is not intended to replace the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) but rather complement it.

He explained that the free primary healthcare package would be available at Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compounds, health centres and polyclinics. However, patients referred to district, regional or teaching hospitals would still require active NHIS coverage to access services.

"The free primary health care has come to stay. It is for you and you must own it. There is a clear difference between free primary health care and the National Health Insurance. They are not replacing each other; they are complementing each other," he said.

The Minister further explained that medical conditions not covered by the NHIS, particularly certain non-communicable diseases, would receive support through the Mahama Cares initiative.

He stressed that the government's healthcare policies were interconnected and aimed at ensuring that no Ghanaian was denied access to essential healthcare because of financial challenges.

As part of efforts to strengthen service delivery, Mr Akandoh announced that government had procured motorbikes, medical equipment and other logistics to retool health facilities nationwide. He assured residents that facilities in the Volta Region would receive their fair share of the resources.

He disclosed that the first phase of the programme would be implemented in 150 districts across the country out of the 261 districts nationwide. Agotime-Ziope District has been selected among the first batch of beneficiary districts.

The Minister explained that government had designed a blended financing model to support the programme. Under the arrangement, curative services would continue to be funded through reimbursement claims, while preventive and health promotion activities would receive population-based advance payments.

He said the advance funding mechanism would enable district health authorities to undertake outreach activities, including house-to-house visits and community health education campaigns.

"We have charged the District Chief Executives to work closely with the health directors, go to the trenches, visit communities and make sure this policy is working well," he stated.

The Minister described prevention and health promotion as the game-changing components of the initiative. He explained that healthcare workers would not wait until residents became seriously ill before intervening.

Instead, health professionals would conduct regular screenings in communities to identify diseases early and provide timely advice and treatment.

Under the programme, residents will have their temperature, blood pressure and blood sugar levels checked at no cost. The Minister noted that many chronic diseases progress silently, making early detection critical.

He cited hypertension as an example, indicating that more than 60 per cent of affected individuals are often unaware they have the condition until serious complications such as stroke occur.

"If you are screened on time and it is detected early, you will be able to manage it well and stay healthy for a very long time," he said.

The Minister also announced plans to recruit additional personnel to support the implementation of the programme. While government continues to employ permanent healthcare workers, he said opportunities would also be created for qualified but unemployed health professionals to serve as volunteers and receive stipends.

He acknowledged criticism of the volunteer arrangement but maintained that it would provide practical opportunities for trained professionals while supporting healthcare delivery.

He further appealed to traditional authorities, opinion leaders and residents to support healthcare workers posted to underserved communities.

According to him, one of the biggest challenges facing the health sector is the reluctance of some professionals to accept postings to remote areas. He urged communities to show concern for the welfare of health workers as a way of attracting and retaining more personnel.

The Minister concluded by assuring the people of the Volta Region of government's commitment to improving healthcare infrastructure, expanding access to services and ensuring that the Free Primary Health Care programme delivers meaningful benefits to citizens across the region and the country.

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