The Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has called on senior managers of the Ghana Health Service to renew their commitment to accountability, equitable financing, and quality service delivery as the nation works toward achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC).   

He made the call at the 2025 Senior Managers’ Meeting of the Ghana Health Service in Accra, held under the theme “Resetting Healthcare Delivery for Effective Governance, Equitable and Sustainable Financing to Achieve Universal Health Coverage.”   

Reviewing the 2024 health sector performance, the minister commended district hospitals for submitting quarterly IGF budget and expenditure reports for the first time, securing HEFRA accreditation, and establishing regional maternal mortality task forces.   

He, however, stressed that maternal mortality remained a national emergency, insisting that “every maternal death must be treated as preventable until proven otherwise”.

On the growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), the minister announced bold interventions including community screening for cardiovascular diseases, expansion of oncology and dialysis services, enhanced NHIS coverage for chronic care, pollution control measures, and full implementation of the Mental Health Act.   

The target, he said, was to reduce premature mortality from NCDs by one-third by 2030.   

The Minister also underscored the need to improve client care, lamenting the rise in medicolegal cases.   

He urged health workers to demonstrate empathy, professionalism, and respect, while ensuring adherence to protocols and continuous training.   

To strengthen accountability, he directed all district and regional hospitals to establish two dedicated IGF accounts for infrastructure and equipment maintenance, warning that circumvention would not be tolerated.   

Minister Akandoh reasserted government’s determination to embed integrity in health service delivery and to partner with CHAG, the private sector, and development partners in building an equitable and resilient system.   

“Behind every policy lies a human face. We owe our people excellence, not excuses; results, not reports,” he said.