As most political parties are in the process of finalising their manifestos for the upcoming general elections, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) are calling on political parties to prioritise health issues, particularly preventive healthcare.

According to the CSOs, preventive healthcare holds the key to an improved healthcare system as it reduces the pressure on health facilities for curative care.

“What we are pushing now is preventive healthcare,” they said.

The CSOs further called for a dedicated fund for the promotion of preventive healthcare. They maintained that it was through such move that lifestyle-related diseases like diabetes, cancer and kidney failure can be reduced.

“There should be a dedicated fund for preventive healthcare and stronger coordination of health policies.

We also want the government to fulfil its commitment and allocate 15 per cent of the budget to healthcare” said Archibald Adams, Communication and Advocacy Lead, Planned Parenthood Association Ghana (PPAG).

He was speaking on the sidelines of a consultative meeting for the development of the CSOs health manifesto for political parties, held under the patronage of the Universal Access to Health Care Campaign (UAHCC), Alliance for Reproductive Health Rights (ARHR), SEND Ghana and the Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG).

Coordinator for the COSs Health Manifestor, Nii Sarpei, Programme Manager ARHR, said the manifesto is in three broad areas namely Policy, Programme & Finance for healthcare.

He said key issues expected in the manifesto include, resources and facilities for mental health, domestic funding for communicable diseases and preparedness for pandemics especially at the primary healthcare level and addressing gaps in reproductive, maternal, neonatal, child and adolescent health.

When finalized, he said the manifesto will be used by the CSOs to engage the various national political parties to demand for the prioritization and redress of key health issues and gaps in service delivery and health systems which in the last few years have not been fully addressed or resolved by successive governments.