An opposition communicator of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Gideon Cheremeh Amoah has criticised the government’s Free Primary Healthcare programme, calling on authorities to prioritise the payment of teachers and nurses instead of what he describes as “sloganeering.”

The communicator alleged that some nurses working in hospitals, as well as the teachers responsible for training them, have gone without salaries for up to 12 months, warning that the situation is affecting service delivery.

“Some of the nurses who work in the hospitals and the teachers who train them have been working for 12 months without being paid,” he said. “For this reason, they are not even in a good condition to work properly.”

Speaking on the ‘Ghana Nkomo’ socio-political show hosted by Akua Nyarko Abronoma on Sompa FM-Sunyani, Mr. Amoah questioned the government’s commitment to strengthening the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), asking what tangible improvements have been made to support the policy.

“Again, what has this government done to improve the National Health Insurance policy laid down?” he quizzed.

The NPP communicator also urged the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) to focus on completing the Agenda 111 hospital projects initiated under the previous Akuffo Addo administration.

“I think it would be important for the NDC government to complete the Agenda 111 hospital projects started by the NPP rather than trying to prove that they have brought a new social intervention,” he added.

The comments come amid ongoing public debate over the implementation of the Free Primary Healthcare policy, which government says is aimed at expanding access to affordable primary healthcare services across the country.

President John Dramani Mahama launched the Free Primary Health Care (FPHC) policy aimed at providing free, non-emergency, and preventive care at CHPS compounds and health centers nationwide, reducing reliance on expensive secondary care.

Sompaonline.com/Derrick Djan