The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has released GH¢35,099,215.84 to 107 districts taking part in Ghana’s Free Primary Healthcare (FPHC) programme.
The payment covers the initiative’s first quarter and is intended to support the delivery of preventive and primary care services at community level.
President John Dramani Mahama launched the FPHC programme in Dodowa on 15 April 2026, marking a major expansion of Ghana’s approach to financing healthcare in local communities.
The programme differs from the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), which reimburses healthcare providers for individual services delivered to patients. Under the FPHC model, funding is allocated according to the population size of each participating district.
The NHIA says this approach will provide districts with predictable funding in advance, allowing them to plan and deliver preventive services consistently instead of waiting for claims linked to individual patient visits to be processed.
FPHC services are delivered mainly through the Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) system. The programme is intended to work alongside the NHIS as part of Ghana’s wider effort to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
Under that arrangement, the FPHC focuses on prevention, health promotion and early detection within communities, while the NHIS provides cover for treatment when patients require clinical or hospital-based care.
The free primary healthcare package includes routine checks for hypertension, diabetes, obesity and cancer. It also covers maternal and child health services, including antenatal and postnatal care, immunisations and monitoring children’s growth.
Patients can also receive treatment for common illnesses such as malaria, cholera and respiratory infections through the programme.
In addition to services provided at healthcare facilities, the FPHC supports community outreach. This includes home visits, engagements in schools and workplaces, and public education campaigns designed to reach people who might not otherwise attend a health facility.
The services are available at CHPS compounds, health posts, health centres and polyclinics, with particular emphasis placed on districts that have historically been underserved.
Although primary care provided under the FPHC is free, patients referred to district, regional or teaching hospitals must still have a valid NHIS card to access treatment through the health insurance system.
NHIA Chief Executive Dr. Victor Asare Bampoe said the programme was designed to help people remain healthier through regular health checks and the adoption of healthier lifestyles. He said its aim was to identify and address medical conditions before they became serious.
Dr. Bampoe urged Ghanaians, especially those living in the participating districts, to use the services available by having their vital signs checked regularly and following the guidance of health professionals working at the facilities.
He said giving greater attention to the early detection of illness would make treatment more effective and less costly than waiting until a condition had fully developed and become more complex.
The NHIA also reaffirmed its commitment to continuing the rollout and financing of the FPHC programme as it seeks to expand access to promotive and preventive healthcare in communities across Ghana.
