Private Health Facility Owners in Ashanti Hold Mid-Year Meeting; GHS, NHIS Call for Unified Effort in Disease Prevention and Service Delivery
The Ashanti Regional branch of the Private Health Facilities Association of Ghana (PHFAoG) has held its 2025 mid-year general meeting with a call for stronger collaboration between public and private health institutions in the fight against emerging public health threats.
The meeting, which brought together proprietors and managers of private health institutions across the region, took place under the theme of strengthening partnerships towards sustainable healthcare delivery. PHFAoG, a fraternity of private healthcare providers, is committed to contributing to national development through quality healthcare delivery.
In a keynote address, the Ashanti Regional Director of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr. Fred Adomako Boateng, emphasized that there should be no distinction between public and private health facilities when it comes to the mission of saving lives.
“We are not public hospitals or private hospitals. We are all health workers delivering the same services for the benefit of Ghanaians. What we need is unity of purpose, especially in the area of public health prevention,” Dr. Adomako Boateng stated.
He raised concerns about the rising threat of viral diseases including Mpox (formerly Monkeypox), measles, COVID-19, and yellow fever, which remain high-priority public health concerns. Speaking on Mpox, he explained that it is a viral infection spread through direct contact with infected persons and can pose a significant threat if not managed early.
“To ensure we are prepared, the Ghana Health Service has intensified public awareness campaigns and is collaborating closely with both public and private health facilities to boost response preparedness,” he added.
Dr. Senanu Kwesi Djokoto, Deputy Chief Executive Officer in charge of Operations at the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), also addressed the gathering. He reiterated the importance of regulatory compliance by private health facilities that wish to be accredited under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
“Before you can partner with the NHIS, you must go through a thorough vetting and investigation process. Your documents must then be submitted to the board for final approval before payments can be made,” Dr. Djokoto explained. He encouraged health facilities to maintain transparency and adhere strictly to NHIS operational guidelines.
The meeting served as a platform for members of PHFAoG to share experiences, deliberate on policy challenges, and seek ways of improving private sector contributions to Ghana’s healthcare system. It also highlighted the role of the private sector in complementing government efforts toward achieving universal health coverage and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Leadership of the association expressed gratitude to the representatives from the Ghana Health Service and NHIA for their presence and reaffirmed their commitment to professionalism, compliance, and collaboration in health service delivery.
