Mahama Announces Health Kiosks to Expand Access to Primary Healthcare

President John Dramani Mahama has announced plans to introduce health kiosks in busy commercial areas, including lorry stations, as part of efforts to expand access to primary healthcare across the country.

Speaking at a free primary healthcare engagement at Fian, President Mahama said the initiative would complement existing Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compounds by bringing basic healthcare services closer to people in areas where large numbers of people gather and conduct business.

“We are introducing health kiosks. So instead of just the CHPS compound, in places where a lot of people do business, we’ll put a health kiosk there,” he said.

According to the President, a health kiosk would be housed in a 20-foot container and equipped to provide basic outpatient services and facilitate referrals.

“A health kiosk is like a 20-footer container. It has got an outpatient, small outpatient office. It has got a health professional’s office for referrals,” President Mahama explained.

He said the kiosks would also be digitally connected to district hospitals, allowing health professionals at the kiosks to consult doctors remotely when they encounter cases beyond their capacity.

“They are linked to the district hospital by digital connection,” he said.

President Mahama explained that health professionals would use tablets at the kiosks to communicate patients’ symptoms to doctors at district hospitals or in larger cities for professional guidance and diagnosis.

“If they see a case they don’t know what to do with, they have a small tablet, they’ll go on it, they’ll describe the symptoms, and then the doctor in the big city will come on the line,” he said.

The President said the doctor would assess the information provided and recommend the appropriate treatment.

“The doctor will diagnose, and then say what treatment they should give you,” he stated.

For cases requiring more specialised attention, President Mahama said patients would be referred to district hospitals for further treatment.

“If you need to be transferred, they’ll transfer you to the district hospital for treatment,” he said.

The President further disclosed that the health kiosk initiative would also target lorry stations, where drivers could access basic health screening before embarking on journeys.

He said the government was working with the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) to facilitate the establishment of such kiosks at selected lorry stations.

“In some places, the lorry stations, they are cooperating with GPRTU. So at the lorry station, we’ll have a health kiosk,” President Mahama said.

He added that the facilities would enable commercial drivers to check their health status, particularly for conditions such as hypertension, before driving.

“And the drivers will go and check for high blood pressure and other diseases before they drive,” he said.

The initiative, according to President Mahama, is intended to make primary healthcare more accessible by providing basic services at locations that are convenient for residents, traders and other members of the public.