Government has announced plans to expand healthcare access and infrastructure
The Minister of Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, has outlined major health sector initiatives in the 2026 national budget, with a focus on expanding access to quality healthcare and strengthening Ghana’s Universal Health Coverage agenda.
Presenting the 2026 Budget Statement and Economic Policy to Parliament on Thursday, November 13, 2025, he said the Ministry of Health continues to make significant progress in improving health services across the country.
2026 Budget: ‘Government will complete 10 Agenda 111 hospitals’ – Ato Forson
“The Ministry continued to expand access to quality healthcare in line with the Universal Health Coverage roadmap. The NHIF was uncapped to provide stable financing for vaccines, essential commodities, HIV services, and the Free Primary Health Care initiative under MahamaCares,” he noted.
He added that a comprehensive climate vulnerability assessment guided government actions against climate-sensitive diseases such as malaria and cholera.
FULL TEXT: Finance Minister presents 2026 Budget statement
“Infection Prevention and Control has been elevated to a national strategy, and the HPV vaccination for girls has been rolled out nationwide,” the Minister said.
To promote gender equity in the health sector, Dr Forson explained that “a National Health Sector Gender Policy was launched, promoting gender equity in workforce participation and access to care. The Ministry has also strengthened global partnerships with GAVI, Pfizer, and the UK Trade Envoy to expand health financing and innovation.”
Key infrastructure and capacity developments include the establishment of the National Cleft Centre at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) and the development of forensic laboratories for DNA and toxicology analysis.
The National Ambulance Service also trained 500 Emergency Medical Technicians, while 6,000 youth were trained as first-aid responders.
The Minister further noted that “the Centre for Plant Medicine Research validated the long-term efficacy of four herbal medicines, reinforcing Ghana’s leadership in traditional medicine research.”
Public health surveillance remained active, successfully containing outbreaks of Mpox, meningitis, and cholera. Reconstruction of the La General Hospital is 33 percent complete, with additional work underway on hospitals in Juaboso and Sandema, as well as five CHPS compounds. The Kpone Municipal Hospital and the KOFIH Centre were commissioned in 2025.
Looking ahead, Dr Forson stated, “In 2026, Government will continue rebuilding the La General Hospital, establish six regional hospitals, expand CHPS compounds, and modernise medical equipment nationwide.” He added that nursing allowances had been fully paid, 13,500 nurses placed on payroll, and admission fees for trainee nurses halved.
Health training institutions expanded programmes, adding 930 new residents, 2,104 specialist nurses, and several newly accredited teaching centres. Regulatory agencies such as the Pharmacy Council and HeFRA advanced digital integration, while SafeCare accreditation increased to 34 facilities. The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) also identified 232 unlicensed mortuaries, issued provisional licences, and trained 800 attendants in safe practices.
The Minister concluded that “in 2026, the Ministry will advance the Free Primary Health Care agenda, scale up local manufacturing, and modernise digital claims and fraud detection systems to improve efficiency and accountability.”
JKB/MA
Ghana Armed Forces gives details of stampede which led to the death of six people