Category: Ghana Health News

REMAPSEN and Galien Africa partner to boost health and environmental communication

The African Media Network for the Promotion of Health and Environment (REMAPSEN) and Association Galien Africa have signed a strategic partnership to enhance communication, capacity building, and collaboration across the continent.

The signing ceremony took place in Dakar and brought together key stakeholders, including representatives from Senegal’s Ministry of Health and Social Action, the Ministry of Environment and Ecological Transition, and several local and international partners.

REMAPSEN President Bamba Youssouf described the agreement as a commitment to using media as a catalyst for transformation.

“This partnership is designed to promote health and the environment through knowledge sharing, impactful media content, and journalist training.

“We also aim to support innovation through joint research projects,” he said. He stressed the need to better integrate media communication into national and regional health and environmental strategies.

A major focus of the agreement is on media engagement. REMAPSEN will provide coverage for upcoming Galien Africa events, including the prestigious Prix Galien Africa and the Galien Africa Forum, scheduled for October 28–31, 2025, in Dakar, under the theme “Health Sovereignty: An Imperative for Africa.”

REMAPSEN will also help disseminate Galien Africa’s press releases, co-organise webinars focused on health and the environment, and support coordination efforts within Senegal.

Professor Awa Marie Coll Seck, Chair of Association Galien Africa, praised REMAPSEN’s commitment and energy.

She pledged support for the network’s annual media forums and advocacy activities, noting that the partnership addresses Africa’s urgent need for innovative responses to health and environmental challenges.

The agreement is valid for two years and is renewable. Both parties see it as a long-term collaboration aimed at influencing policy, raising public awareness, and driving the development of local solutions to Africa’s health and environmental issues.

The partnership marks a bold step toward amplifying the role of African media in shaping public discourse around resilience, sustainability, and well-being across the continent.

Zipline to establish seventh centre in Ghana, urges stronger partnerships 

Zipline Ghana is to open a seventh drone distribution centre in the coastal zone to expand nationwide reach and enhance last-mile delivery of medicines, vaccines, blood products, and laboratory samples. 

The move reinforces Zipline’s commitment to equitable healthcare and logistics for underserved communities, making Ghana the first country globally to operate seven Zipline hubs in drone-enabled health logistics. 

Speaking to journalists following a tour of the sixth distribution centre in Anum, Head of Zipline Ghana, Daniel Kwaku Merki, said the expansion aligns with efforts to build an inclusive and resilient health system. 

“This upcoming centre is not just about adding infrastructure, it is about deepening impact. We want to reach the unreached and ensure that no health facility, regardless of location, is left behind,” he stated. 

Mr. Merki called for stronger collaboration across public institutions, the private sector, and development partners to maximise drone technology’s impact. 

“Our collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Ghana Health Service has proven that innovation, when integrated into national systems, can transform healthcare outcomes,” he said. 

“But the need goes beyond health. We can support agriculture, disaster response, environmental monitoring, and more,” he added. 

Zipline has delivered 8.4 million medical products to 3,000 health facilities in 14 regions since 2019.  

In partnership with Gavi and the UPS Foundation, it delivered over 3.4 million COVID-19 vaccine doses, including hundreds of thousands of mRNA shots. 

Research shows Zipline disproportionately served vulnerable populations, with rural and remote districts receiving 30 per cent more vaccines during the pandemic. 

“Since 2022, 9,698 people who were in critical condition and would have died without Zipline’s support have survived. 75 per cent of these cases occurred in Northern Ghana. More than 1,600 were snakebite injuries,” Mr. Merki said. 

As drone logistics expands into other sectors, Zipline advocates for policy frameworks that support cross-sector collaboration, integrated data systems, and sustainable funding. 

The company is exploring agricultural partnerships to deliver farm inputs, veterinary products, and digital advisory services aimed at improving rural productivity and food security. 

Once operational, the seventh distribution centre is expected to generate local employment, strengthen emergency response, and advance Ghana’s leadership in technology-driven public service delivery. 

Abuakwa South MP raises concern over MahamaCare’s sustainable funding

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Abuakwa South, Dr Kingsley Agyemang, has clarified that the Minority in Parliament does not oppose the newly passed MahamaCare health initiative but is rather concerned about its long-term financial sustainability.

Speaking on JoyNews Prime on Monday, Dr Agyemang said the Minority’s hesitation stems from questions surrounding the scheme’s funding framework. “We are not opposing the numbers. However, our point has to do with the source of funding.”

“The main statutory source of funding outlined in the report submitted to parliament is that they are going to save 20% of the National Health Insurance levy to finance non-communicable diseases. Why are you in a rush? Why do you rush to bring a bill that is already catered for under the National Health Insurance? This is something that we have to caution Ghanaians because it is an ingenious way to take from an existing provision to finance another thing that can be effectively catered for under the primary provision, which is the National Health Insurance law,” the MP argued.

Parliament passed the MahamaCare Bill into law on Monday, July 21, under a certificate of urgency, fast-tracking the legislative process to fulfil a key campaign promise by President John Dramani Mahama.

The initiative seeks to provide free healthcare for individuals suffering from chronic conditions, particularly targeting low-income and vulnerable groups who are unable to bear the costs of long-term medical care.

MahamaCare is expected to complement the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) by addressing gaps in chronic disease management, especially for ailments such as diabetes, hypertension, and sickle cell disease, which impose a heavy burden on families and the healthcare system.

Dr Agyeman emphasised that despite the expedited passage, the Minority is only calling for a more transparent financing model, cautioning that without adequate budgetary allocation or innovative funding streams, the programme’s implementation could falter.

Vaccine procurement: Ghana pays $24.5m to GAVI – Health Minister 

Ghana has paid $24.5 million to GAVI to secure a regular supply of vaccines, Mr Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, the Health Minister, has disclosed. 

He said the Government had demonstrated a steadfast commitment to the health and well-being of its children.  

“This year, we increased the budget for vaccines by 46 per cent. As of today, we have fully paid the country’s $24.5 million to GAVI,” Mr Akandoh stated in his half-year report on the health sector presented at a press conference during the Government Accountability Series at the Presidency in Accra. 

“This prompt payment will help ensure we avoid recurring shortages of critical vaccines, which can lead to outbreaks,” he said. 

The Minister reiterated that by August, Ghana would receive hundreds of thousands of vaccine doses ready to reach every community across the nation.  

“As we say, investing in our children’s health today is securing Ghana’s  

tomorrow,” he stated, adding that, “we are not resting on our achievements. The government will continue to prioritise and invest in immunisation to protect every child and build a healthier nation for generations to come.” 

With regards to Vaccine Manufacturing, Mr Akandoh said the government had pledged and remains dedicated to making Ghana a centre for vaccine manufacturing.  

He said in this regard, the National Vaccine Institute was collaborating with the  

regulatory authority and pharmaceutical industry stakeholders to bring this plan to reality. 

Mr Akandoh announced that one of their private sector partners had obtained market authorisation from Ghana’s  

Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) to produce Snake Anti-Venom Serum on a commercial scale, marking the next step in their goal to shift Ghana from a consumer to a producer. 

Ghana Medical Relief targets 8,000 patients in free medical outreach in Berekum

Thousands of residents in Berekum and surrounding communities in the Bono Region are expected to benefit from a massive free medical outreach spearheaded by Ghana Medical Relief (GMR), a humanitarian nonprofit organisation based in Ghana and the United States.

The outreach, scheduled from Monday, July 21 to Friday, July 25, 2025, will deliver essential health services in general medicine, paediatrics, urology, dental care, ophthalmology, and obstetrics and gynaecology, alongside health education, NHIS registration, and free medications.

Organisers say they are targeting at least 8,000 patients across the region, continuing GMR’s mission to make healthcare accessible to underserved populations.

“Our goal is to reach those who would otherwise go without basic medical care,” the group said in a statement requesting media support for awareness and coverage.

Since its inception in 2018, GMR has delivered similar outreach in Asiakwa, Anomabo, Atibie, Agogo, Tamale, and Bortianor, serving thousands of patients.

The organisation’s 2024 mission in Bortianor alone served over 5,200 people and facilitated NHIS registration for 2,500 others.

Fully volunteer-driven and donor-supported, the project aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goal 3, which seeks to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all.

Dr. Amuasi champions healthy sustainable socio-ecological systems thinking in Lancet One Health Commission Report

The Lancet One Health Commission (LOHC) has released its report, hammering home that global health resilience will depend on systemic, cross-sectoral reform that acknowledges the interconnectedness of humans, animals, and the shared environment.

Launched in 2019 with 24 commissioners from different institutions and countries, the LOHC has evolved over the years, mobilizing high-level thought leadership across disciplines to tackle challenges including pandemics, antimicrobial resistance, climate change, and food insecurity.

Co-chaired by Dr. John Amuasi, Head of the Department of Global Health, KNUST and Lead of the Global Health and Infectious Diseases Research Group at the Kumasi Center for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine and the Bernhard Nocht Institute of Tropical Medicine in Germany, and Prof. Andrea Winkler, Director of the Centre for Global Health at the Technical University of Munich, the Commission has spent the past six years weaving together a narrative that shows how human well-being is inextricably interconnected with the health of animals, and the shared environment.

“The days of thinking in silos are over. Our report shows that health for all depends on breaking disciplinary boundaries and investing in One Health-informed systems that are robust, equitable, and future-ready,” said Dr. Amuasi.

“Health is not an isolated medical issue. It arises within complex ecosystems,” added Professor Jürgen May, Chair of the Board and Head of the Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at BNITM, and a member of the Commission. “If we keep thinking in silos, we risk pandemics, drug-resistant pathogens, and the collapse of food systems.”

The Commission’s work has unfolded alongside major global health crises, from the COVID-19 pandemic and Ebola outbreaks to growing climate-related disasters, revealing that fragmented responses are no match for increasingly complex health threats. Its report, titled “Harnessing Our Interconnectedness for Equitable, Sustainable, and Healthy Socioecological Systems,” presents both a diagnosis and a prescription.

The report was published on Thursday, July 17, and formally introduced to the public during a digital launch event later that day. The global event attracted over 1,100 registrants and was viewed by 615 unique participants, including researchers, policymakers, students, and civil society leaders from across the globe.

Panelists at the launch explored the report’s implications for education, governance, and implementation. They stressed practical pathways to embed One Health at various levels, including local, national, and global systems, and answered questions regarding cross-sectoral financing, surveillance, and local adaptation.

“We are proposing a shift from reactive policy to anticipatory governance,” said Dr. Amuasi. “That means investing in integrated early warning systems, building cross-sectoral capacity, and creating a society-wide One Health-literate citizenry – from school children to heads of states.”

Woven through the report is a silver thread: One Health is the ideal framework for collaboration and a necessary lens through which to imagine and create a sustainable future. The Commission outlines concrete recommendations, including curriculum reform, funding realignment, regulatory harmonization, and infrastructure development that bridges human, animal, and environmental health sectors.

The LOHC also calls for the integration of socio-anthropological research and indigenous knowledge systems into global health governance, warning that poorly informed technical solutions will fail at solving politically and culturally complex problems.

Zoonotic spillovers, antimicrobial resistance, and climate-induced migration continue to threaten global health stability, making the LOHC’s report feel like a manifesto for the future.

Over 15m Ghanaians enrolled in NHIS – Health Minister

The Minister of Health and Member of Parliament for Juaboso, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has revealed that the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) now covers 15.67 million Ghanaians — an increase of over 670,000 from the previous year.

This milestone marks a significant expansion in health insurance coverage, enabling more Ghanaians to access vital healthcare services.

Speaking at the Government Accountability Series held at Jubilee House on Friday, July 18, the Minister said,
“Today, 15.67 million Ghanaians are enrolled in the NHIS an increase of over 670,000 from last year. What this means is that 670,000 more Ghanaians are now benefiting from health insurance coverage.”

He highlighted the government’s swift response to challenges facing the health sector, especially the funding shortfall resulting from the exit and budget cuts of development partners. Following directives from President Mahama, the government prioritized funds to bridge these gaps.

“Still on financing, we continue to collaborate with private partners to invest in healthcare infrastructure through PPP arrangements. Currently, we have identified a partner conducting a nationwide assessment that will underpin our retooling agenda for health facilities.”

The Minister underscored the government’s firm commitment to sustainable health financing:
“One of our main commitments is to guarantee sustainable funding for the health sector. Thanks to the visionary decision to uncap the National Health Insurance Levy, the NHIA’s revenue for 2025 has soared to an unprecedented 9.76 billion Ghana cedis compared to the previous capped budgetary allocation of 6.52 billion Ghana cedis in 2024 — a massive increase of 3.26 billion Ghana cedis. This additional funding is a game-changer, enabling the NHIS to expand coverage, enhance benefits, and strengthen Ghana’s progress towards achieving universal health coverage. This is the government fulfilling its promise to prioritise the health of every citizen.”

With increased resources, the NHIS has also improved its capacity to settle claims:
“Furthermore, with the increased funding to the NHIS, we have increased allocations for claims payments from 56.2% in 2024 to 65% in 2025, and plan to increase to 75% by 2026. As the fund grows, we ensure that every cedi reaches frontline services, providing quality care to all Ghanaians” he said.

The Minister also expressed pride in the government’s commitment to timely payments:
“Not only have we uncapped the levy, but we have also been committed to releasing funds swiftly. I am proud to announce that all NHIS claims arrears totalling GHS 603 million as of December 2024 have been fully settled. This milestone demonstrates our government’s steadfast dedication to timely payments and fulfilling our obligations to healthcare providers.”

He added that the NHIA disbursed over GHS 1.38 billion to healthcare providers in the first half of 2025 alone, reflecting a stronger, more responsive, and more reliable system.
“This turnaround demonstrates that we are developing a health insurance scheme that benefits all Ghanaians.”

Vice President and Health Minister back Entrance University’s vision for healthcare transformation

Ghana’s Vice President, Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, and Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, have endorsed the bold vision of the Entrance University of Health Sciences (EUHS), describing it as a timely initiative to help address the country’s healthcare training needs.

Speaking at the official launch of the university in Accra, the Vice President commended the institution’s commitment to building a future-ready healthcare workforce capable of meeting Ghana’s growing demand for medical services.

“I commend you and also encourage you to ensure that there are an appreciable number of students clinically trained to meet the huge patient healthcare services demand,” Professor Opoku-Agyemang said.

Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh also praised the establishment of EUHS, noting its potential to help close critical gaps in the healthcare system.

“The creation of schools, alongside the investment in clinical infrastructure, demonstrates foresight, commitment, and a strong sense of national responsibility,” the Minister stated.

“Despite the progress made, many communities still lack access to essential medical, nursing, and dental services due to human resource shortages.”

Regional Support and Visionary Leadership

EUHS, affiliated with the Tobinco Group, aims to become a hub for healthcare education and innovation in Ghana and the broader West African region. The university will offer degree programmes in medicine, nursing, dentistry, and pharmacy, alongside hands-on clinical training at the soon-to-be-operational Entrance Dental Hospital.

The launch event attracted 32 top officials from 13 African countries, including ministers, health leaders, and policymakers, signalling significant regional interest in Ghana’s healthcare education sector.

Nana Samuel Amo Tobbin, Chancellor of EUHS and Chairman of the Tobinco Group, described the initiative as more than just an academic enterprise.

“Entrance University of Health Sciences is more than a school; it is a movement to revolutionise healthcare in Africa by training highly skilled healthcare professionals who will drive innovation, compassionate care, and community development,” he said.

Strengthening Healthcare and Boosting Local Capacity

Nana Tobbin outlined the university’s core objectives as:

• Strengthening Africa’s healthcare workforce
• Advancing research to tackle the continent’s unique health challenges
• Promoting community-based healthcare outreach
• Creating jobs and supporting local pharmaceutical production

He also appealed to the government and development partners to offer scholarships and financial aid, especially for students from underserved communities.

World-Class Training Facilities

EUHS is equipped with advanced teaching and training infrastructure, including:

• Dental simulation labs with phantom heads and modern chairs
• Specialist laboratories for microbiology, histology, physiology, pharmacology, and dissection
• A cadaver lab, a computer lab, and a state-of-the-art medical simulation centre
• Interactive lecture halls and a fully equipped morgue for anatomy and pathology training

Aligning with Ghana’s Development Agenda

According to Nana Tobbin, the establishment of EUHS aligns directly with President John Mahama’s 24-hour economy and Big Push agenda, positioning Ghana as a regional hub for medical education, research, and healthcare investment.

“This inauguration serves as a platform for regional leaders, investors, and stakeholders to explore collaborations that will benefit Ghana and the broader African region,” he concluded.

Health Minister outlines key challenges in Ghana’s Health Sector

The Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has openly highlighted the pressing challenges facing Ghana’s health system, while pledging the government’s unwavering commitment to resolving them and driving transformational change.

Speaking at the Government Accountability Series held at the Jubilee House on Friday, Minister Akandoh said, “We have challenges, no doubt:

• Qualified health workers are waiting for jobs.
• Industrial actions that threaten services.
• Infrastructure gaps, especially in regional hospitals.
• Poor maintenance culture in our facilities and institutions.”

Despite these hurdles, the Minister emphasized proactive measures underway: “Ladies and gentlemen, as you can see, we are tackling these head-on, planning and investing prudently.”

Looking forward, he expressed confidence in the sector’s bright future saying “Ghana’s health sector is poised for a remarkable transformation. We are fully committed to making free primary health care a reality for every Ghanaian, breaking down barriers to essential services.”

Over 13 countries expressed interest in recruiting Ghanaian health workers – Health Minister

The Health Minister, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, says that over 13 countries have expressed formal interest in recruiting Ghanaian health workers.

According to him, the government is developing a policy framework to manage the growing international demand while protecting the country’s health sector.

Speaking at the Government Accountability Series at the Jubilee House on Friday, July 18, Mr Akandoh described the development as a “managed migration opportunity” and stressed that Ghana’s approach will ensure that any overseas recruitment directly benefits both the national health system and the professionals involved.

“We are formulating policies to ensure these benefits are fairly distributed to both our health system and our professionals,” the minister said.

He noted that while the demand for Ghanaian health workers continues to rise abroad, the government is simultaneously investing in their professional development and welfare at home.

Mr Akandoh further highlighted several domestic measures aimed at strengthening Ghana’s health workforce, including clearing salary arrears for 321 pharmacist house officers who completed training in 2024, and prioritising the recruitment of 1,621 qualified pharmacists still awaiting permanent employment.

“This is just one example of our broader commitment to clearing the backlog across all health worker cadres,” he said.

“We want every qualified professional to have the chance to serve and strengthen Ghana’s health system.”

As part of long-term reforms, the minister announced that the government has signed Conditions of Service agreements with health unions and is revising curricula in training institutions to align with national health priorities.

He said specialist nursing programs are being expanded, and general nursing schools are being converted into specialised training centers.

“These steps are crucial to ensuring a motivated and skilled workforce capable of meeting the changing health needs of our population,” Mr Akandoh added.