Health ministry rallies district directors to strengthen healthcare resilience

The Ministry of Health has commended District Directors of Health Service (DDHS) and urged them to brace themselves against any vulnerabilities in healthcare delivery as the country works towards achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by 2030.

The Chief Director at the Ministry, Desmond Boateng, who delivered a keynote address on behalf of the Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, at the 32nd annual general conference of the District Directors of Health Service Group (DDHS-G) held in Kumasi from September 9 to 12, said the resilience of Ghana’s healthcare system depends largely on the commitment of health leaders at the district level.

This year’s meeting was held under the theme: “Enhancing Health Security in Ghana: Innovations, Preparedness, and Workforce Well-being for a Sustainable Future.”

Mr. Boateng noted that health security goes beyond responding to disease outbreaks, stressing that it involves building strong and resilient systems capable of anticipating, preventing, and effectively responding to both communicable and non-communicable threats.

Citing lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, he emphasised the importance of preparedness and innovation in safeguarding the health of citizens. He described the establishment of the Ghana Vaccine Institute as a significant step towards self-reliance, ensuring that the country can reduce dependence on external supply chains during future pandemics.

“At a time when global support is receding, Ghana has chosen not to shrink but to innovate, filling funding gaps and preventing reversals in health gains,” he added, highlighting the government’s commitment to meeting counterpart funding obligations to GAVI.

Touching on emerging threats, Mr. Boateng referenced recent cases of Mpox, warning that zoonotic and re-emerging infections remain a “clear and present danger.” He disclosed that the government, in collaboration with the Ghana Health Service, is scaling up surveillance, procuring vaccines, and intensifying risk communication to minimise spread.

He also pointed to the growing burden of non-communicable diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, and cancers. He argued that the Free Primary Health Care (PHC) initiative will be pivotal in promoting early detection, lifestyle modification, and reducing complications that drive up household healthcare costs.

“The Free PHC policy complements the Ghana Medical Trust Fund (Mahama Cares). Together, they create a continuum, prevention at the base, financial protection at the apex, ensuring both sustainability and universality,” he explained.

On workforce development, he disclosed that since January 2025, government has recruited 13,500 nurses onto payroll and is considering a vehicle revolving fund initiative for health staff, with District Directors to be prioritized.

He further underscored the importance of the Community-Based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) programme, revealing that District Assemblies have been directed to construct at least two CHPS compounds annually, with a focus on completing abandoned projects to bridge rural, urban access gaps.

Mr. Boateng reiterated that all these interventions, emergency preparedness, sustainable financing, preventive healthcare, workforce support, and CHPS expansion, are aligned with Ghana’s goal of achieving UHC by 2030.

“Health systems are judged not by their rhetoric but by their outcomes. Let us therefore commit to building one that is clinically effective, financially sustainable, and socially just,” he charged.