A non-governmental organisation, STAR-Ghana Foundation, together with other health sector stakeholders, has begun tracking the government’s commitments in the health sector, assessing how well political manifesto promises are being implemented.

At a national convening on Thursday, March 13, 2025, under the Inclusive Elections & Accountable Governance in Ghana Project (Phase III), the foundation and its partners engaged in discussions on key health sector pledges made by the government and their integration into national development plans.

This is an initiative aimed at enhancing democratic processes and promoting accountable governance in the country. Launched in August 2024, this phase focuses on strengthening civil society's role in monitoring the government’s commitments and advocating for policy reforms across various sectors, including education and health.

Advocacy

The Manager of the Rights to Social Services Portfolio at STAR-Ghana Foundation, Raymond Danso, highlighted that the initiative was part of a broader effort to hold the government accountable and ensure that underserved groups—such as women, youth, and persons with disabilities—had a voice in policy implementation.

He explained that before the last general elections, the foundation had created platforms for marginalised communities to engage with political parties, advocating for their health-related concerns to be reflected in party manifestos.

These concerns, drawn from nationwide consultations, focused on health financing, equitable access to health care, and the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

“Beyond elections, our role extends to advocacy, research, and supporting the government in policy reforms that will improve the healthcare system. Today, we are reviewing the commitments made and assessing progress to determine areas where more advocacy is needed,” Mr Danso said.

Tracker, NHIL uncapped

To facilitate this process, STAR-Ghana Foundation has developed a Manifesto Tracker, a tool designed to monitor government commitments, collect and analyse data and provide feedback to policymakers.

He said the tracker is expected to enhance accountability by systematically evaluating whether promises made during election campaigns were being fulfilled.

Mr Danso noted that one of the key recommendations from their pre-election engagements—allocating the full National Health Insurance Levy (NHIL) to the NHIS—was reflected in the recent national budget.

Therefore, he said the Finance Minister’s confirmation that all funds from the levy would go toward the health insurance sector was welcomed as a significant step toward strengthening healthcare financing.

“We are excited to see that some of the issues we advocated for, together with our partners, have been addressed in the budget. Ensuring timely reimbursements to private hospitals and improving access to free primary health care are positive developments,” he said.

However, he emphasised that further work was needed in other areas of health policy, and STAR-Ghana Foundation remained committed to engaging the government on additional reforms that would enhance healthcare delivery.