The Minister of Health, Mr Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has directed Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) to take full responsibility for the government’s Free Primary Healthcare programme to ensure its success.

Mr Akandoh also urged chiefs to take a special interest in the programme and play vital roles in shaping public attitudes by mobilising people in their respective communities to appreciate its benefits.

The Minister made the call in Ho on Saturday when he launched the Free Primary Healthcare Programme for the Volta Region.

Mr Akandoh stated that it was important for key stakeholders, such as chiefs, to show greater interest in government-initiated programmes to facilitate their successful implementation.

The Health Minister also visited communities in the Volta Region, including Ave-Dakpa, Agortime-Akpokorpe, Agortime-Kpetoe and Dzodze, where he educated residents on the programme and urged them to embrace it in order to derive its full benefits.

He explained that the Free Primary Healthcare Programme aimed to improve access to quality health services at the primary level while reducing the financial burden many Ghanaians faced when seeking basic healthcare.

Mr Akandoh stressed that the programme would enable all Ghanaian citizens, both poor and rich, to benefit from quality healthcare and to regularly screen for communicable and non-communicable diseases in order to maintain good health.

He also donated motorbikes, hospital beds, tricycles and cylinders to the Volta Regional Minister, Mr James Gunu, for distribution to health facilities under the programme in the region.

Receiving the items, Mr Gunu, on behalf of managers of the various health facilities, expressed gratitude to the Health Minister and assured that the items would be put to good use to achieve their intended purpose.

Mr Gunu noted that the items would enhance the quality of healthcare delivery in the region and urged Municipal and District Chief Executives (MDCEs) to ensure the programme’s success.

The Chief of Ho-Heve, Togbe Anikpi III, lauded the government for the initiative, stating that it would promote quality healthcare delivery, and assured that traditional authorities were ready to support its successful implementation.