“The priorities shall include strengthening of strategic information and health systems, community empowerment to scale up HIV testing, treatment and targeted behaviour change among others,’’ it said.

The next NDC government also promises to reduce the incidence of malaria by 50 per cent including reduction cases of maternal and neonatal deaths by further 50 per cent and creation of more spaces for maternal and neonatal care in existing health facilities.

The publication of the manifesto is captured under the “GNA Tracks Election 2016 Project,” being funded by GOIL, the foremost indigenous oil marketing company and CIMG 2015 Petroleum Company of the year.

The project seeks to sensitise the electorate on the various issues raised by political parties, the elections management body and other governance institutions.It aims at ensuring gender and social inclusion in national politics and provide voice for the youth, vulnerable groups, opinion leaders and the broader spectrum of the society as well as contribute to the achievement of peaceful polls.

 Another objective of the project is to create a platform to dissect the manifestos of all political parties and provide in-depth analysis of each thematic area to the electorate to enable them to make an informed judgment.

The manifesto among others also gave assurance to diversifying the sources of funding for the National Health Insurance Scheme by allocating an approved percentage of the ABFA from Ghana’s Petroleum Revenue.

It also promises to motivate health workers by rewarding conditions of service that respond to changing trends in healthcare and increment of supply and fair distribution of health personnel across the country.

According to the Manifesto, the next NDC government would: ‘’Complete ongoing regional hospitals in the Ashanti and Upper West regions as well as complete construction of regional hospitals in Upper East, Eastern and Western regions and undertake a comprehensive upgrade of the Tema General Hospital’’.

Putting citizens first, it said it would establish a National Infectious Disease Centre which would mainstream mental healthcare into the health delivery system and ensure adequate resourcing and infrastructural development. “Continue to implement policies on the integration of Traditional Medicine into the mainstream healthcare delivery system in compliance with the provisions of the Traditional Medicine Practice Act, 2000, Act 575’’, it added.

It also assures to establish the School of Traditional Medicine at Keta in addition to the School of Pharmacy as a satellite campus of the University of Health and Allied Sciences. The Manifesto also promises to upgrade existing health facilities located in Sogakope, Anomabo, Half-Assini, Nkawkaw, Kintampo and Techiman into Accident and Trauma Centres.

Other towns targeted for the upgrading health facilities include Wa, Hohoe, Gambia No. 2 and Buipe.    It said: “It will scale up the implementation of e-Health systems piloted in Korle-bu, Wa and Zebila hospitals to all secondary and tertiary hospitals,’’ adding that it would protect patient privacy by ensuring strict compliance with data protection laws of the country of medical records.