The Essential Services Platform, a Ghanaian civil society group, on Thursday welcomed President John Evans Atta Mills' announcement at the UN General Assembly meeting in New York to reform the National Health Insurance payment system and provide payment exemptions for some of the most marginalized in society.
The President also announced free healthcare for all children under 18 years, as well as continued free healthcare for pregnant women.
A statement signed Mr Leonard Shang-Quartey, Convenor of Ghana's Essential Services Platform, said "the Ghanaian government has taken a bold step forward, moving a campaign promise into a commitment made on the world stage at the UN.
"Whether or not poor people should have to pay for healthcare should never be up for debate again, this announcement represents a lifeline for all children and pregnant women, and the government's intention to reform the health insurance payment system is a much-needed step along the road to universal access to healthcare."
The statement praised Ghana's commitment to move from annual premium payments, to a one-time premium payment system with registration-fee exemption for the elderly, pregnant women and all children under 18.
The Essential Service Platform in a statement signed by Mr Justin Morgan, Country Director of Oxfam, yesterday expressed similar sentiments and asked the government to take advantage of the UK government's support because while pregnant women were eligible for free healthcare now, children did not have.
However, it expressed concern that with no mention of the exemption for the indigent in the outcome document from the meeting President Mills held with the UK Prime Minister and the World Bank President because the policy would "mean exclusions for many of the poorest in Ghana from access to healthcare".
The statement said the challenge of healthcare for all in Ghana was formidable, adding that only 54 per cent of Ghanaians were registered under the National Health Insurance Scheme, mainly high-income earners.
It regretted that in the district of Offinso, only four indigent people were currently benefiting, highlighting the clear need for the insurance system to become more accessible to the poorest adding the announcement would require the government and donors alike to scale-up funding for healthcare.
"The announcement was an exciting opportunity to genuinely reform healthcare, making it accessible to every Ghanaian," the statement said, stressing that "Now is the time for the Ghanaian government to make this commitment a reality, and for donors to step forward and help deliver on the promises."
Urgent action was essential with the lives of poor people being lost on a daily basis because they were too poor to pay for health services, it added.
The UK government announced its intention to support countries in achieving their free healthcare ambitions.