The Minister for Health (MOH), Mr Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has disclosed that Ghana’s Health Security Bill was ready and will shortly be presented to Cabinet and Parliament for approval.
He added that the bill was part of the country’s efforts to strengthen national health resilience.
The Minister said this on Wednesday in Accra, when the Director-General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Dr. Jean Kaseya, visited him at the ministry.
He indicated Ghana’s commitment to Primary Health Care (PHC), noting that it has a flagship program which aims to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC). He emphasized that financial barriers often hinder access to health services, and the rollout of free primary health care would serve as a major catalyst in accelerating Ghana’s path toward UHC.
Mr Akandoh praised Africa CDC’s continued support to Ghana, highlighting several key contributions and called for sustainable financing models to close the healthcare funding gap, urging African nations to “think outside the box” and take ownership of their health systems.
On his part, Dr. Jean Kaseya highlighted Africa’s over-reliance on imported medical solutions.
“We don’t produce our vaccines or medicines for diseases like Ebola, Marburg, and cholera. That has to change,” he said.
He said the upcoming summit involves 19 Heads of State, focusing on challenges in local pharmaceutical manufacturing and access to health technologies.
He urged African nations to move beyond dependence on foreign aid and invest in their medical solutions, stressing the importance of innovation, investment, and strong leadership.
“When you combine conflict, poor funding, and weak systems, you build the foundation of another pandemic. This is our opportunity to change course,” he added.
Dr. Kaseya declared the shared commitment to continue working together to build a stronger, self-reliant health sector for Ghana and the African continent.
