GH¢500m medical equipment procured for free primary healthcare rollout

Over 24,000 medical equipment items valued at approximately GH¢500 million have been procured to support Ghana’s upcoming Free Primary Healthcare Initiative, which is expected to transform the delivery of basic health services nationwide.

The Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, made the disclosure on Monday, April 13, 2026, during the Government Accountability Series press briefing in Accra, ahead of the official launch of the programme by President John Dramani Mahama on April 15.

According to him, the procurement forms part of the government’s wider strategy to strengthen primary healthcare delivery and improve access to essential medical services, particularly in underserved and hard-to-reach communities.

He explained that the investment is intended to address long-standing gaps in health infrastructure and equipment availability across public health facilities.

Mr Akandoh noted that currently, only a small fraction of public health facilities possess all the essential equipment required for effective service delivery, a situation the new intervention seeks to correct.

The procured items include incubators, glucometers, ultrasound machines, hospital beds, and other critical medical tools, which will be distributed nationwide under a phased implementation plan running from 2026 to 2028.

He stressed that the initiative is not only about infrastructure but also about improving early detection and preventive care at the community level.

Mr Akandoh also revealed that more than 350 container-based clinics will be deployed to high-traffic areas such as markets and lorry parks to enhance access to basic healthcare services.

He said the programme is designed to bring healthcare closer to citizens and reduce the burden on hospitals by strengthening first-contact care systems.

The Health Minister further encouraged the public to take advantage of the initiative once it is fully rolled out, describing it as a major step toward improving national health outcomes.