Norbert Achibase, a member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Communications Team in the Navrongo Central Constituency, says the governments recently launched Free Primary Health Care Programme was informed by data on the prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Ghana.
His comments follow the launch of the programme on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, by President John Dramani Mahama. The initiative is aimed at expanding access to essential health services across Ghana, particularly for underserved and vulnerable communities.
Speaking on the Big Mike Breakfast Show on Friday, April 17, Achibase said data from the World Health Organization (WHO) shows a sharp rise in deaths related to non-communicable diseases.
“We (NDC) did not just enter into the social contract with the people of Ghana because we wanted to be champions of health or to make a name for ourselves as a party. We entered into that social contract because there was a clear call and need for it. If you look at WHO data, it shows that about 43 to 45 percent of Ghanaians die annually from NCDs.” He said.
He also indicated that extensive consultations with citizens ahead of the 2024 election period revealed that many people still struggle to access basic healthcare across the country.
Achibase added that the programme is designed to complement the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and help achieve universal health coverage.
“The NDC has carved out a flagship policy to augment the NHIS system we are currently running, in line with our aim of achieving universal health coverage.” He added.
Mike 105.3FM | Navrongo | Alexander Bombande
