Parliament has approved a budget allocation of GH₵22.80 billion for the Ministry of Health’s operations for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2026. This budget is set to fund the ministry’s various initiatives, with a breakdown that supports compensation, goods and services, and capital expenditure.
Of the approved amount, GH₵16.25 billion (71.25%) is earmarked for the compensation of employees, while GH₵4.51 billion (19.79%) is designated for goods and services, and GH₵2.04 billion (8.96%) will be allocated for capital expenditure.
The government remains the primary source of funding for the Ministry of Health, contributing 71.40% of the total budget. Internally generated funds make up 26.35%, with donor support in the form of loans and grants contributing the remaining 2.25%.
In terms of sub-programme allocations, the largest share of the budget, 82.10%, will be directed towards health service delivery. Other key allocations include 10.34% for management and administration, 4.62% for human resource development, and 2.94% for health sector regulation.
### Key Projects and Initiatives
With the budget approval, the Ministry of Health plans to continue and complete several ongoing infrastructure projects, such as the construction and equipping of Community-based Health Planning Services (CHPS) compounds and health centers across the country. Other major projects include the reconstruction of the La General Hospital, the rehabilitation of Juaboso Hospital, and the expansion of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital’s maternity block.
New projects slated for approval include the construction of 12 additional CHPS compounds, psychiatric hospital projects, a specialist hospital at Ajumako Bisease, the redevelopment of Ho Teaching Hospital, and a 500-bed pediatric hospital in Accra. The budget will also fund the construction of Central Medical Stores and district hospitals in Shama, Bole, Bawku, Akatsi, and Sandema.
### Minister's Address and Additional Allocations
Before the approval, Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, clarified that the GH₵22.80 billion budget did not include allocations for the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) or the Ghana Medical Trust Fund. When these are added, the total health budget rises to approximately GH₵34.22 billion. The NHIS allocation is around GH₵9.04 billion, while the Ghana Medical Trust Fund stands at about GH₵2.259 billion.
Akandoh also reassured Parliament that all 13,500 nurses recruited in 2024 have been fully paid, addressing concerns over recruitment and financial provisions for new staff. He emphasized that financial provisions must be made whenever recruitment occurs, noting that without such provisions, the recruitment would essentially be ineffective.
Regarding the ongoing Agenda 111 projects, the minister assured Parliament that the government is committed to completing these projects. “His Excellency, the President has indicated on several occasions that any ongoing project he has inherited will be continued and it will never be abandoned,” he stated.
In response to concerns about the management of patients' medical records, Akandoh clarified that the Ministry of Health had begun rolling out a new software system, the Ghana Health Information Management System, at various teaching hospitals. This system, currently being implemented department by department, ensures that patient data is not lost, and records are accessible across facilities, guaranteeing continuity of care.
Source: Graphic.com.gh
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