The Information Services Department (ISD) of the Oforikrom Municipal Assembly has intensified public education on the Free Primary Healthcare (FPHC) programme, encouraging residents to take advantage of the initiative to access basic healthcare services without financial barriers.

The programme introduced by the government is a major health reform designed to bring health care closer to where Ghanaians live and work, with emphasis on prevention, early detection and basic treatment at the community level.

The sensitisation drive aims to ensure that residents understand how the programme works, where services can be accessed, and what is required to participate.

During the engagement, residents were taken through the various ways they could access primary healthcare services within their communities. They were encouraged to visit designated Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) Compounds, Health Centres and Polyclinics for services covered under the programme.

The residents were also educated on the importance of seeking healthcare early rather than waiting until an illness becomes serious. They were encouraged to make use of available preventive services like blood pressure and sugar checks, maternal and child health care, immunizations, family planning, nutrition counselling, treatment for common illnesses and other basic healthcare services provided under the programme.

The ISD team emphasized that Free Primary Healthcare (FPHC) is not the same as Free Hospital Care, as the programme only covers services within the primary healthcare package. Where admission, surgery, or specialist treatment is required, the NHIS or Mahama Cares initiative will provide the necessary support.

Residents were therefore encouraged to renew their National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) registration, since the FPHC programme does not replace the NHIS. In cases where a patient’s condition requires referral beyond the primary healthcare level, the NHIS remains essential for accessing further treatment at district and higher-level hospitals.

The education also highlighted the role of community members in making the programme successful. Residents were encouraged to listen to health workers, participate in community health activities and share accurate information about the programme with their families, friends and neighbours.

The ISD’s engagement is expected to help address misinformation and ensure that residents of the Oforikrom Municipality are better informed about the opportunities available to them under the Free Primary Healthcare programme.