Gov’t takes major step toward free primary healthcare with inspection of 24,534 medical equipment units

In a decisive early-morning move to bolster Ghana’s healthcare system, the Minister for Health, Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has personally overseen the inspection of a massive consignment of medical equipment at a central warehouse in Accra.

The inventory, comprising 24,534 individual pieces of critical medical hardware, includes X‑ray machines, vital sign monitors, glucometers, baby incubators, radiant warmers, oxygen concentrators, patient monitors, infusion devices, laboratory analysers, delivery beds, hospital beds, and ultrasound machines. Officials say the equipment meets international quality standards and is now cleared for immediate deployment.

Speaking to reporters after the three-hour inspection, Minister Akandoh emphasized the strategic importance of the consignment.

“This is not just a routine delivery. These 24,534 devices represent the clinical backbone of our upcoming Free Primary Healthcare Programme,” he said. “Every incubator, every monitor, every diagnostic tool will directly serve citizens who have, for too long, faced barriers to basic care.”

According to the Ministry, distribution to health facilities nationwide will commence next week. A dedicated logistics task force has been activated to ensure that equipment reaches district hospitals, polyclinics, and community-based health planning services (CHPS) zones before the programme’s official launch.

The Free Primary Healthcare Programme, set to be launched by President John Dramani Mahama on April 15, aims to provide universal access to primary medical services for an estimated 35% of Ghana’s population – approximately 11.7 million people – who are currently not covered by the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). Beneficiaries will include informal sector workers, rural farmers, street vendors, and other vulnerable groups who have historically fallen through the cracks of health coverage.

President Mahama is expected to outline the full operational framework of the programme during the April 15 launch event, including funding mechanisms, enrollment procedures, and quality assurance measures.

Health sector unions have cautiously welcomed the announcement, while urging the Ministry to ensure timely maintenance and sufficient staffing to operate the new equipment.

The Minister assured the public that the equipment inspection was “rigorous and transparent,” adding that further consignments are expected in the coming months.

“Good Friday marks a new dawn for primary healthcare in Ghana,” Akandoh said. “Come April 15, no Ghanaian will be turned away from a public primary health facility because they cannot pay.