The Minister for Health, Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has sworn in the governing boards of six key health regulatory institutions with a clear message: “Deliver, don’t complain.”
The institutions include the National Blood Service, National Ambulance Service, Mental Health Authority, Ghana College of Pharmacists, Allied Health Professions Council, and the Traditional Medicine Practice Council.
He challenged the board members to focus on solutions and performance rather than excuses, assuring them of his full support and commitment.
Key Sector Challenges Highlighted
The Minister painted a sobering picture of the state of Ghana’s healthcare system, stressing the urgent need for action across several areas:
- Mental Health:“We can no longer afford to treat mental health as secondary,” he said. Over 2.3 million Ghanaians are affected by mental health conditions, yet only 2% receive formal psychiatric care.
- Pharmaceutical Services:Ghana has fewer than 20 pharmacists per 100,000 people—far below the OECD average of 85 per 100,000. Pharmacists, he noted, remain the most accessible healthcare professionals, yet their numbers are insufficient to meet demand.
- Allied Health Services:Radiographers, lab technicians, physiotherapists, and nutritionists form “the invisible backbone of every healthcare facility,” yet these professionals remain underregulated and underappreciated, he lamented.
- Emergency Services:Despite operating over 350 ambulances and employing more than 3,400 emergency personnel, Hon. Akandoh admitted that emergency response times in many parts of the country remain unacceptably slow.
- Traditional Medicine:About 60–70% of Ghanaians rely on traditional medicine as their first line of care, with a practitioner-to-client ratio of 1:400—far more accessible than the 1:12,000 ratio for orthodox doctors.
- Blood Supply:In 2024, Ghana collected just under 190,000 units of blood—falling significantly short of the national requirement of over 300,000 units. “This leaves an annual shortfall of more than 120,000 units,” the Minister revealed.
Commitment to Reform
Hon. Akandoh pledged to provide policy support, coordination, and systems to enable the boards to function effectively. However, he was unequivocal in his expectations:
“We will expect results. Real regulation is not about paperwork. It’s about protecting lives, building trust, and keeping the promise of health for all,” he concluded.
Reference: Health Minister Tasks Six Regulatory Boards to Focus on Delivery, Not Complaints – Ghana News Online
