The Minority in Parliament has criticised the government, describing President John Dramani Mahama’s newly launched Free Primary Healthcare programme as a mere repackaging of existing policies initiated by the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration.
President Mahama officially unveiled the flagship Free Primary Healthcare (FPHC) initiative on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, at the Shai Osudoku District Hospital in Dodowa, Greater Accra Region. The programme aims to expand access to essential health services, particularly for underserved and vulnerable communities, while improving early detection of diseases and strengthening preventive healthcare nationwide.
However, the Minority has accused the government of duplicating interventions introduced under the NPP without giving due recognition to their originators.
Speaking in an interview with Citi News, the Ranking Member on Parliament’s Health Committee, Dr Nana Ayew Afriye, said the new policy bears striking similarities to initiatives rolled out by the previous government, especially regarding annual health checks and access to services using the Ghana Card.
“During the launch, you would see that every person can access it using a Ghana Card and must be 18 years old or older. Under the NPP, it was the same, and it is for all Ghanaians,” Dr Ayew Afriye stated.
He urged Ghanaians to verify the claims, adding: “You can Google the Pentecost Church of Ghana headquarters, the publication on annual health checks introduced by the NPP government, which is on their site, and it details exactly what John Dramani Mahama was saying yesterday.
“Exactly, word for word, the institutions are there. You have only changed the political faces, and now you want to repackage it without giving reference and recognition to those who initiated it. So how would somebody also recognise anything you have added to it in future?”
The Minority MP argued that the core elements of the Free Primary Healthcare programme, including the use of the Ghana Card for access and the focus on preventive care for citizens aged 18 and above, mirror the NPP’s Free Annual Health Check-Up initiative previously implemented through the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA).
