Free Primary Health Care policy is NDC’s original idea — Dr Ayensu-Danquah

The Deputy Minister of Health, Dr. Grace Ayensu-Danquah, has rejected claims that the government’s flagship Free Primary Health Care (FPHC) policy is a rebranded version of a previous programme.

Responding to assertions by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) that the initiative mirrors its earlier free annual health check programme, she insisted the policy is an original idea of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).

In an interview on JoyNews’ The Pulse, she stressed that the focus should remain on improving healthcare access rather than political credit, noting that what matters most is delivering services to Ghanaians.

“I don’t even really want to make this political, because I truly believe that health doesn’t have a political colour. NPP people will get sick. NDC people will get sick. Whatever they said they implemented, as it stands now, it doesn’t exist in anyway and we are implementing it, so let’s move forward and ensure that every Ghanaian can access basic healthcare,” she said on Thursday, April 16.

Dr. Ayensu-Danquah explained that the Free Primary Health Care policy was included in the NDC’s manifesto as far back as 2020 and further developed in the 2024 manifesto presented by President John Dramani Mahama.

She maintained that the policy formed a central part of the party’s campaign message, which resonated with voters and contributed to its electoral victory.

“This idea is purely ours. We put it on paper, presented it to the people of Ghana, and they gave us the mandate to implement it,” she stated.

She added that the policy is “like a baby we conceived, carried, and have now delivered”, stressing that the government will take full responsibility for its implementation.

The initiative aims to ensure that all Ghanaians can access free primary healthcare at CHPS compounds, health centres, and other community-level facilities.

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