By Regina Atule, GNA
Damongo (S/R), Oct 21, GNA – The Information Services Department (ISD) has undertaken a region-wide public sensitisation campaign in the Savannah Region to raise awareness about the government’s Free Primary Health Care (FPHC) initiative.
The campaign, undertaken in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service, was aimed at promoting collaboration and collective action towards the successful implementation of the policy.
It reached stakeholders across all seven districts in the region including traditional leaders, religious groups, health professionals, market women, students and members of the public.
Engagements were held at mosques, churches, chiefs’ palaces, markets, schools, and community information centres, led by information officers and officials from the ISD head office.
Participants were sensitised on the objectives of the FPHC initiative, how to access the services, where the services were available, and the range of services covered under the initiative.
As part of the campaign, the team also visited health facilities to interact with health workers and identify challenges affecting the smooth rollout of the initiative.
The FPHC initiative is operational in 135 districts across the 16 regions covering 4,574 health facilities.
They include 3,781 CHPS compounds, 746 health centres, and 48 polyclinics including facilities managed by the Christian Health Association of Ghana and other partners.
The government initially targeted 150 deprived districts with the remaining 15 expected to be enrolled by the end of the year.
The initiative is projected to be scaled up nationwide by the end of the year 2027.
To support the rollout, over 24,500 pieces of equipment were distributed to PHC facilities while 5,000 community health worker bags containing basic equipment for house-to-house services had also been delivered.
The initiative covered only primary-level services provided at CHPS compounds, health centres and polyclinics, and it is intended to complement the National Health Insurance Scheme by reducing the burden of preventable and treatable conditions.
As part of the campaign in the region, the officers from the ISD paid a courtesy call on Mr Yakubu Yussif Castro, West Gonja Municipal Chief Executive to brief him on the sensitization exercise.
Reverend Charlotte Hanson, Head, Public Relations Coordinating Division at the ISD, speaking during the courtesy call, said the initiative was a major part of the government’s health sector reforms designed to bring quality health care closer to the people with greater emphasis on prevention, early detection and timely treatment.
She highlighted the relevance of the initiative and urged residents to take advantage of it to access basic health care without financial barriers.
Mr Frank Asiedu, Head of Public Education Campaign at the ISD urged duty-bearers and stakeholders to play their part to ensure its successful implementation.
Mr Castro lauded the initiative describing it as timely especially for deprived and vulnerable communities where access to basic healthcare remained a challenge.
GNA
Edited by Eric K. Amoh/Kenneth Odeng Adade
Reporter: Regina Atule