This policy derives inspiration from the Directive Principles of State Policy in Article 34 (2) of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana-which among others requires the state to ensure the realization of the right to good healthcare for people living in Ghana irrespective of colour, race, geographical location, religion and political affiliation.It is expected that all political actors shall be guided by the tenets of this policy and provide the needed leadership and support for its implementation.
It has also been inspired by the overall national medium-term policy development framework developed by the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), as well as the Coordinated Programme of Economic and Social Development Policies (2017-2024). The policy recognizes several global, regional and sub-regional compacts and policy frameworks.
The following, among others, are mentioned here: the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on the theme, “Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”, the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005), the Astana Declaration on Primary Health Care (PHC), the African Union (AU) Vision 2063: “The Africa We Want”, the ECOWAS Vision 2020, the African Health Strategy (2016- 2030) and the Africa Health Transformation Agenda (2015-2020)

The National Health Policy (NHP) offers a Whole-of-Government and a Whole-of-Society approach to delivering holistic, comprehensive, equitable, affordable and responsive health services towards better Quality of Life (QoL) for the people of Ghana. The current global and national health dynamics which has seen the re-emergence and emergence of novel diseases such as COVID-19, with enormous socio-economic consequences makes imperative this approach.
In the spirit of the Astana Declaration therefore, the Ministry of Health will promote multi-sectoral action and UHC, engaging relevant stakeholders and empowering local communities to strengthen PHC, including a better health emergency system. This policy further seeks to address economic, social and environmental determinants of health and aim to reduce risk factors by mainstreaming a Health in All Policies (HiAP) approach. Moreover, the Ministry will involve more stakeholders in the achievement of Health for All, leaving no one behind, while addressing and managing conflicts of interest, promoting transparency and implementing participatory governance.

The Ministry of Health will also strive to avoid or mitigate conflicts that undermine health systems and roll back health gains. Ghana has not achieved the desired level of health because we have not adequately addressed, in a comprehensive manner, all the key determinants of health. It is mainly due to this reason that the new National Health Policy (NHP) has been developed to promote, restore and maintain good health for all people living in Ghana.

The NHP which is to ensure healthy lives for all people living in Ghana recognizes the wider operational definition of health as being “a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity” (WHO). It further recognizes all organizations, people and their actions which impact on the health of the population and not just those directly involved in the provision of healthcare services.
This scope is intended to ensure that we all work towards the achievement of healthy lives for all people living in Ghana through an enabling policy framework that recognizes, empowers and brings together, in a coordinated manner, all stakeholders using the following five (5) policy objectives:

• To strengthen the healthcare delivery system to be resilient 
• To encourage the adoption of healthy lifestyles 
• To improve the physical environment; 
• To improve the socio-economic status of the population; 
• To ensure sustainable financing for health 

All these are within the framework of multi-sectoral collaboration, strategic partnerships, decentralization, equity and citizens’ involvement and social accountability. 
All stakeholders and health professionals are implored to collaborate effectively to support the implementation of the National Health Policy in order to achieve our collective broad national health goal. I am extremely confident that this revised National Health Policy will form the basis for the provision of the best possible preventive, promotive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative care services across the length and breadth of Ghana, through an integrated multi-sectoral approach to stimulate national development within the framework of Health in All Policies approach.

Key Provisions / Thematic Areas

• Strengthening the healthcare delivery system to be resilient 
• Encouraging the adoption of healthy lifestyle
  
•  Improving physical environment
  
•  Improving socio-economic status of the population 
  
• Ensuring sustainable financing for health
  

Comments

The Ministry of Health invites the general public and stakeholders of the Ministry to submit comments and proposal to this policy document.

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