The “Annual Health Check-up” (AHC) policy would allow Gha­naians to access free healthcare at least once in a year during their birth month.

It is part of moves by the government to address the surge of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) which currently accounts for over 40 per cent of deaths in the country annually.

Under the AHC, beneficiaries would be checked for conditions including blood pressure, blood sugar, body mass index (BMI) as well as receive counselling on their health status and be referred where necessary.

Speaking at the launch on the theme; “Addressing NCDs and chronic diseases in Ghana,” the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr Dacosta Aboagye, said the AHC reinforced the Authority’s commitment to preventive health­care as key to achieving global health targets.

“Early detection and interven­tions can prevent serious health conditions, reduce the burden of diseases and improve quality of life.

Our free AHC programme is designed with these goals in mind. By offering free comprehensive screening annually, we aim to identify potential health issues at an early stage, allowing for timely treatments and management,” he stated.

Dr Aboagye explained that all citizens already registered unto the scheme would be able to access the package once they dial a short code *929*1 during their birth month to access a special ticket which would be generated to any NHIA accredited health facility for care.

He encouraged all Ghanaians to take advantage of the package, saying; “by participating in this free AHC programme, you are not only safeguarding your health, but also contributing to a healthi­er and more productive nation.”

The Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, stated that the economic burden of NCDS were often way above the earnings of the average Ghanaian.

He said the alarming statistics and its resulting socio-econom­ic cost on the citizenry called for urgent steps to change the approach for healthcare delivery in the country from curative to more preventive and promotive measures to achieve universal health coverage.

In view of that, he said the GHS had rolled out wellness clin­ics in all its facilities nationwide as well as taking steps to promote paediatric and geriatric service to provide holistic care for the population.

“It is therefore heart-warm­ing therefore, that the NHIA is enhancing its package to promote health checks. This clearly will be a game changer and will go a long way to complement efforts of the health system and we look forward to its implementation,” he stated.

The Minister of Health (MoH), Dr Bernard Oko Boye, in a speech read on his behalf expressed delight that the AHC which had been on the Authority’s table over the last four years had come into fruition.

“Our data shows that about 30 per cent of the NHIS claims burden were blood pressure and diabetes and this is the 1st part of the preventive health insurance we are rolling out to address the situation,” he said.