The Editor of the Newscenta newspaper, Elvis Darko, has called on the government to consider using some of the funds meant for newly launched Free Primary Healthcare (PHC), to complete the Agenda 111 hospitals in areas without district hospitals.
Speaking on GHOne TV’s morning show, GHToday, on Friday, April 17, 2026, Darko argued that the proliferation of temporary “container” structures for primary healthcare is an exercise which ignores the massive infrastructure gaps in 88 districts currently lacking a district hospital.
He contended that that would be the best idea since patients with critical cases would after initial screening and treatment require higher-level medical intervention.
“I don’t see how we should be prioritizing setting up of container structures when we have health centres and CHPS zones…if the conditions get worse, we would have to refer the patients to hospitals. There are 88 districts in Ghana without district hospitals…,” he said.
He emphasized that detecting an illness through a primary health screening is of little use if the patient has no accessible hospital to go to for specialized treatment.
“Instead of setting up the containers, why don’t we use part of the money to complete the Agenda 111 District hospitals because if after screening and it is detected the person needs to be referred to a hospital and the people in these 88 districts are still without district hospitals…,” he added.
Darko also lamented over the tendency of successive governments to “rebrand” existing policies for political gains rather than focusing on execution.
The Newscenter Editor traced the origins of current primary healthcare initiatives to the first term of President John Mahama, noting that a committee led by Dr. Chris Attim had already recommended integrating PHC into the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
“They drafted all that has to be done to make it more effective in the execution of the NHIS, so that was the recommendation then but the NPP didn’t work with that report and I think that is what informed the NDC to seed it and call it Mahamacare or primary healthcare.
Now, Mahama’s second administration has come and it is separating it but it is still NHIS money that we are using to finance it…,” he said.
He called for a maintenance of the existing model and suggested that the government invest in the completion of the Agenda 111 projects.
President Mahama launched the free PHC which aims at providing free, preventative services, including annual screenings for hypertension, diabetes, and cancers. It targets underserved areas.
Free PHC would also operate alongside the NHIS, it will use Ghana Cards for access at CHPS compounds, health centres, and polyclinics.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
