Health & Education
From The Report: Ghana 2019
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Ghana’s economic development is leading to heightened demand for specialised private health services, while on the public side; the government has made commitments to improve universal health coverage and is implementing plans to tackle specific challenges such as non-communicable diseases and a shortage of health professionals. Such commitments to legal reform and public resource provision will help spur further investment; however, challenges remain, including weaknesses in the National Health Insurance Scheme and high pharmaceutical and health care costs, all of which tend to have the greatest impact on low-income citizens. As for the education sector, the government has prioritised educational reform in recent years in a bid to improve access at all levels of the system. To this end, in 2018 the state introduced its Free Senior High School policy, an initiative which provides free tuition for attendees at all public secondary schools. On top of this, to improve learning outcomes and help fulfil demand in the job market for certain skills, the authorities have also encouraged greater investment in education infrastructure and strengthened technical and vocational education and training.

This chapter contains an interview with Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, Minister of Health.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Finger on the pulse: Improvements made to universal coverage as growth in the middle class boosts opportunities for private sector firms
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Public health services dominate Ghana’s health care sector. The Ghana Health Service (GHS) – an independent executive agency responsible for the implementation of health policies – reports that 78.7% of the 7089 hospital beds in 2016 were managed by the government and 16.9% by the private sector. The remaining 4.4% of hospital beds were managed by faith-based and quasi-government organisations. Meanwhile, demand for private care is growing, along with the middle class, opening up opportunities…

Overview

Promoting pharmaceuticals: As health care provision expands, demand for both local and imported pharmaceutical products is rising – Ghana
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In recent decades, the pharmaceutical market has expanded its geographical reach. This trend appears to be here to stay; in a survey of major pharmaceutical firms conducted by global consulting firm PwC’s Strategy& team, more than half of respondents anticipated that over 30% of their global sales would originate in emerging markets by 2018. Even in the most newly opened markets, drug companies have seen growth: forecasts for Myanmar, for instance, indicate that pharmaceuticals could quickly grow into a $1bn industry. As governments and companies continue to take note of this high-potential sector, both are pursuing development…

Interview

Encouraging diagnosis: Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, Minister of Health, on improved access, technology and the private insurance sector
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Interview:Kwaku Agyeman-Manu How is the government increasing capacity in line with population growth? KWAKU AGYEMAN-MANU: Ghana is an outward looking and globally focused country, committed to providing modern health care services and facilities. In line with this we are looking to achieve the targets laid out in the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, related to universal health coverage and improved health financing. We want the same level of care to be available across rural communities…

Overview

On course for improvement: While enrolment rates rise across the sector, a new education strategy seeks to help graduates meet the needs of the job market
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Ghana’s government has prioritised educational reform in recent years in a bid to improve access at all levels of the system. To this end, in 2018 the state introduced its Free Senior High School (SHS) policy, an initiative which provides free tuition for attendees at all public secondary schools. On top of this, to improve learning outcomes and help fulfil demand in the job market for certain skills, the authorities have also encouraged greater investment in education infrastructure and…

Overview

On the job: Development and promotion of technical and vocational training key to improving employment rates – Ghana
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Although priorities vary when it comes to economic development, the increasing need for skilled labour is both a cause of and a requirement for accelerated growth that spans markets and continents. This demand for technical specialists from Mexico to Indonesia is often most concentrated in the sectors that are vital to economic advancement, including infrastructure, oil and gas exploration and extraction, and value-add processes for agricultural commodities. Efforts to expand this expertise locally, rather than relying solely on international organisations or expatriate leadership, have come to the fore in recent years, both as part of…