The Private Health Facilities Association of Ghana (PHFAoG) concluded its 4th Annual General Conference on September 20, 2024, in Koforidua at the Baca Hotel and Event Centre. The three-day event, held from September 18 to 20, 2024, gathered distinguished dignitaries, including His Royal Eminence Nana Osei-Bonsu Sempeh II, Oyokohene of New Juaben, and a representative of Nana Dr. Kwaku Boateng III, Omanhene of New Juaben.
Other key attendees included Dr. Anthony Nsiah Asare, Presidential Advisor on Health, Deputy Minister of Health Hon. Alexander Akwasi Acquah, and other prominent health sector figures, such as Dr. Aboagye DaCosta, CEO of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), and Dr. Anthony Adofo Ofosu, Deputy Director of the Ghana Health Service (GHS).
Under the theme “Adopting a Data-Driven Decision-Making Culture as a Tool to Create a Responsive Healthcare System in Ghana: The Role of Private Health Facilities,” the conference emphasized the urgent need to integrate the private health sector’s contributions into national health data systems. PHFAoG leadership highlighted gaps in the current DHIMS2 (District Health Information Management System) platform, which restricts private health facilities’ ability to use data for decision-making and innovation.
One key achievement noted during the event was the recent granting of user access for private facilities to the DHIMS2, a milestone made possible through advocacy efforts led by the GHS. However, ongoing challenges, such as financial constraints, limited access to skilled health information officers, and high staff turnover, were cited as barriers to effective data reporting.
Participants also praised the Ministry of Health (MoH) and the Ghana Health Service for implementing the novel “Network of Practice” (NoP), which seeks to decentralize healthcare delivery and forge strategic partnerships with private health facilities. This initiative is expected to improve emergency response and provide better integration of specialist private clinics.
The conference also addressed the significant shortage of healthcare workers in private health facilities, as the majority of healthcare professionals remain employed within the public sector. Private health sector leaders called for government support in human resource development and an extension of public healthcare interventions to private institutions.
In addition, PHFAoG voiced concerns over what it described as “unrealistic” credentialing standards imposed by the Health Facilities Regulatory Agency (HeFRA) and the NHIA. The association argued that these standards fail to consider the financial, technical, and human resource challenges faced by private health facilities, especially in rural areas. A push for more achievable standards and adjustments in NHIA tariffs were recommended, with hopes that future tariff reviews would reflect current market realities and reduce the need for co-payments from patients.
The conference concluded with an appeal for more favorable policies regarding tax waivers on medical equipment and consumables, as well as the creation of a dedicated desk for private healthcare providers at the NHIA to address operational challenges such as unpaid claims and credentialing delays.
PHFAoG also condemned the ongoing environmental and health damage caused by illegal mining activities (galamsey) and called on the government to take stronger actions to eradicate the practice.
Representing the government, Dr. Nsiah Asare assured the private health sector of the government’s commitment to deeper collaboration, including partnerships to place healthcare staff in private facilities and potential PPP (Public-Private-Partnership) investments for expansion.
