National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer John Dramani Mahama has pledged to overhaul Ghana’s healthcare system and expand support for girls’ education, addressing key issues that have long impacted underserved communities.
Following the commissioning of a new maternity and children’s ward in Bodom, Nkoranza North, on November 12, Mahama, accompanied by his wife, Lordina, highlighted the challenges many Ghanaians face with rising healthcare costs and limited access to essential medical services.
“Accessible and affordable healthcare should be a right, not a privilege,” Mahama stated, emphasizing that free primary healthcare for all citizens would be a priority under his leadership.
He noted that many Ghanaians are unable to access necessary care, not due to the absence of facilities, but because of the prohibitive costs.
“Many Ghanaians cannot access the medical care they need, sometimes not because healthcare facilities don’t exist, but because the costs are often beyond their reach"
"For this reason, among others, the next NDC government, which God willing I will lead, will prioritise critical social interventions designed to make healthcare more accessible and affordable for every Ghanaian, regardless of their socioeconomic background,” Mahama said.
Outlining additional plans, Mahama committed to launching a nationwide free sanitary pads initiative aimed at improving school attendance among young girls, particularly those from low-income households who often miss school due to lack of hygienic resources.
“This initiative will directly impact the health and attendance of young girls and ensure that they can continue their education,” he added.
“We intend to establish a free sanitary pad programme for all our girls in secondary schools who are having to skip school because they cannot afford to have hygienic pads to be able to protect themselves. And so this is another programme that we will introduce for school girls.”
As the December elections approach, Mahama’s proposals emphasize the NDC’s focus on tackling social inequities, with healthcare and education reforms at the forefront of his campaign agenda.
The NDC leader assured Ghanaians that, if elected, his administration would prioritize these critical interventions to support and uplift marginalized communities across the country.
Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith
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