A Senior Lecturer at the School of Nutrition and Dietetics under the School of Allied Health Sciences at the University of Cape Coast (UCC), Dr. Kasim Abdulai,(PhD) has expressed concern over the rising cost of healthcare services in Ghana, describing it as excessively high compared to other countries.
Speaking on the Happy Morning Show with Fati Shaibu-Ali, Dr. Abdulai highlighted the critically low level of government investment in the health sector. He revealed that Ghana allocates only about 3% to 4% of its national resources to healthcare far below the internationally recommended minimum of 15% to ensure accessible and quality healthcare for all citizens.
He explained that limited funding for the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) has resulted in persistent delays in claims payment. These delays, he noted, place financial strain on healthcare providers and contribute to the escalating cost of medical services.
Dr. Abdulai further warned that the unaffordable cost of healthcare compels many poor and vulnerable individuals to avoid hospitals, turning resort to self-medication and traditional remedies. This trend, he added, often leads to complications due to delayed professional medical attention.
He stressed that insufficient investment in the health sector has broader national implications, particularly on productivity, as an unhealthy population cannot effectively drive economic growth. Dr. Abdulai therefore urged the government to prioritise healthcare financing and make the necessary investments to improve service delivery, ensuring that quality healthcare becomes both affordable and accessible to all Ghanaians.
