A healthy society is a productive society – Finance Minister at 2024 Health Sector Annual Summit

Finance Minister Dr. Mohammed Adam has reiterated his commitment to ensuring a healthy society, emphasizing the critical link between health and national development.

Speaking as the special guest of honour at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Health Sector Annual Summit at Kempinski Hotel on May 15, 2024, Dr. Adam underscored that a healthy society is inherently more productive, which, in turn, propels economic growth.

The summit, themed "Quality Healthcare Delivery: A Catalyst for Achieving Universal Health Coverage," highlighted the government's dedication to improving healthcare access and outcomes.

Dr. Adam stated that the government has secured funds to complete several health projects, such as the La Polyclinic and upgrades at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.

"The Ministry of Finance will continue to support the healthcare sector. Our health expenditure per capita is estimated at $75, which compares favorably with the $39 average in low-income countries," Dr. Adam stated.

He assured that the nation's economic recovery is strong, projecting a growth rate of 1.5% despite ongoing challenges.

"I assure you that we will continue to support the healthcare sector because a healthy society is a productive society, and a productive society is a growing economy. Therefore, there is a positive correlation between healthcare and economic growth and development," he asserted.

Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye, the president's representative on health, highlighted significant advancements in healthcare access, particularly through the Network of Practice (NoP) strategy aimed at strengthening primary healthcare systems.

He acknowledged international partners like the FCDO, GAVI, and the Canadian government for their support in maternal health, vaccines, adolescent health, and family planning services.

"Investing in the recruitment, training, and retention of healthcare professionals, especially in underserved areas, is crucial to achieving primary healthcare (PHC)," Dr. Boye noted.

Dr. Nana Ayew Afriyie, Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health, called for a robust partnership between the public and private sectors to enhance the health system.

According to him, the health sector cannot operate in isolation, and therefore, collaborative efforts are essential for a resilient health system.

The Annual Health Summit is one of the monitoring and accountability mechanisms of the Ministry for the performance of the sector each year.

The key feature of the Health Summit is to share findings of the holistic assessment report based on the previous years' Programme of Work for discussion in a plenary session.

However, the 2024 summit will present results from the mid-term review of the HSMTDP and afford stakeholders the opportunity to discuss the report and profess solutions for addressing challenges in the sector.

The Mid-Term Review (MTR) of the HSMTDP is expected to provide insights into the performance and effectiveness of Ghana's health system based on the stated policy objectives and interventions articulated in the HSMTDP and the Universal Healthcare Coverage Roadmap (2020-2030).














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