Dr Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, Acting Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), has urged health development partners to realign their support with Ghana’s national health priorities to enhance ownership, sustainability, and accountability across the sector.
Speaking at a GHS Health Partners Meeting in Accra, Dr Akoriyea commended partners for their long-standing technical and financial contributions, which he said have driven progress in critical areas such as immunisation, malaria, HIV, tuberculosis, maternal and child health, non-communicable diseases, and health security.
However, he noted emerging challenges, including the rise in earmarked funding, partner-led implementation, and increased reliance on third-party actors, trends that he said are contributing to fragmentation within the health system.
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“The Ghana Health Service is transitioning into a new era of accountability, efficiency, and system leadership, and its development architecture must evolve with it,”
Dr. Akoriyea said.
He stressed the need for better harmonisation of partner activities, coordinated capacity-building, and elimination of duplicated efforts that stretch GHS staff and sometimes impact core service delivery.
“Our staff are increasingly stretched by the volume of meetings, trainings, and partner activities. We need to ensure that capacity-building is equitable, coordinated, and linked to productivity outcomes,” he said.
Dr Akoriyea called for:
- Stronger national coordination mechanisms
- Harmonised work plans
- Joint planning aligned with national priorities
- Regular partner roundtables
- Shared accountability frameworks
He also highlighted strategic initiatives expected to shape the next phase of Ghana’s health sector reforms, including the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, Free Primary Health Care, and the 24-Hour Health Services component under the national 24-Hour Economy initiative.
He urged development partners to recommit to transparency, alignment, and mutual accountability, reaffirming that the Ministry of Health and the Government of Ghana must lead the country’s health development agenda.
