At a meeting with the World Bank at the Ministry of Health, the Minister, Hon Kwabena Mintah Akandoh highlighted that the government has set an ambitious goal to locally produce 60% of drugs and vaccines by 2040, enhance medical tourism, build more CHPS compounds, and introduce the Ghana Medical Care Trust Fund to support the treatment of chronic diseases not covered by the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) before the end of 2025.
The Management from the World Bank met with the Minister for Health to discuss the Ministry’s strategic health priorities and the government’s vision for the country’s healthcare system,m among others.
The meeting was also to gather stakeholders’s input on the World Bank’s Regional Health Programme for Western and Central Africa and explore potential avenues for collaboration.
The meeting provided a platform for the Minister to outline key focus areas, including improving healthcare accessibility, enhancing the quality of services, and addressing critical health challenges faced by the nation.
Hon. Akandoh emphasized the importance of strengthening healthcare infrastructure, expanding access to essential services, removing financial barriers to healthcare, and ensuring the sustainability of health programs to achieve long-term health outcomes for all citizens.
Rafiat Hasan, the Practice Manager from the World Bank, expressed the Bank’s commitment to supporting the Ministry’s efforts and discussed various mechanisms through which the global financial institution could provide assistance, including technical support, financing, and expertise.
She also proposed a multisectoral approach to adolescent health, one of the key priorities of the World Bank.
This approach, she noted, requires coordinated efforts across various sectors, such as education, healthcare, nutrition, and social protection, to address the diverse and interconnected factors that influence adolescent well-being.
Hon. Akandoh welcomed the opportunity for continued collaboration, recognizing the vital role that international partnerships play in achieving the Ministry’s goals.
He noted the importance of fostering strong relationships with global organizations to attract much-needed resources and innovative solutions to meet the evolving health needs of the population.
Both parties agreed to explore specific projects that align with the Ministry’s health agenda, further solidifying the ongoing partnership between the Ministry of Health and the World Bank.
By Tony Goodman
