The Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has called on the management of the Ministry of Health and its agencies to align all plans, programmes and implementation strategies with the government’s key priority commitments to improve healthcare delivery nationwide.
He made the call during an ongoing sector-wide management retreat bringing together leadership across the health sector to assess performance, address challenges and chart a forward-looking path for the industry.
Addressing participants, the Minister stressed that the effective delivery of government policy requires institutions to move beyond planning into coordinated and results-driven action.
He underscored the need for health facilities to respond more directly to the needs of the public, particularly through the expansion of access to essential health services.
As part of measures to improve service delivery, the Minister directed all public teaching hospitals to urgently begin operating their Out-Patient Departments (OPDs), laboratories and diagnostic centres on a 24-hour basis, in line with the President’s 24-hour health service policy.
He also highlighted the importance of strengthening tertiary health training and specialised service delivery across the regions.
In this regard, the Minister tasked the Health Facilities Regulatory Agency (HeFRA) and the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) to fast-track processes toward the full accreditation of the Sunyani Regional Hospital as a teaching hospital.
According to him, accrediting the facility will enhance clinical training, help decongest existing teaching hospitals and improve access to specialised healthcare services in the Bono Region and surrounding areas.
The Minister noted that government’s health sector priorities outline critical reforms and targeted interventions aimed at improving access, strengthening coordination and enhancing service delivery across the country.
He emphasised that aligning institutional objectives, budgets and operational plans with these commitments is essential to meeting public expectations and accelerating sector-wide performance.
He further observed that the two-day retreat provides a timely opportunity to review progress, identify implementation gaps and reposition the Ministry and its agencies towards clearly defined targets for 2026 and beyond.
The Minister concluded by urging participants to demonstrate renewed commitment, deepen inter-agency collaboration and uphold accountability as they work collectively to advance the government’s health agenda and deliver improved health outcomes for Ghanaians.
