The Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has called on healthcare professionals across Ghana to uphold compassion, respect, and dignity in the delivery of medical care.
Speaking at the opening of the 2025 Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) Annual Conference in Koforidua, the Minister emphasized that healthcare should not be viewed merely as a technical or administrative function, but as a sacred responsibility rooted in human dignity and moral service.
The two-day conference, held under the theme “Sustaining Christian Identity, Values, and Ethics in Health Systems Strengthening,” gathered policymakers, board members, health directors, CHAG facility managers, development partners, and church leaders to deliberate on the intersection of faith, ethics, and modern healthcare delivery.
Mr. Akandoh commended CHAG for its unwavering dedication to healthcare over the decades, especially in underserved and remote communities. “In places where hope seems distant, CHAG hospitals and clinics continue to stand as beacons of compassion and healing,” he noted.
The Minister further disclosed that the Ministry of Health is working diligently to clear posting backlogs and address salary delays affecting health personnel, ensuring that healthcare workers are motivated and supported to serve with pride. He stressed that respect and fairness must be central to medical care, irrespective of a patient’s background or financial status.
Delivering the keynote address, the Chairman of the Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Kwabena Nyamekye, lauded CHAG’s long-standing commitment to faith-based healthcare. He described CHAG facilities as “sanctuaries of healing,” emphasizing that their Christian foundation calls for integrity, diligence, and compassion, even in challenging conditions.
Dr. Peter Yeboah, Executive Director of CHAG, highlighted the organization’s extensive national reach — operating 385 health facilities across all 16 regions and 188 districts under 32 Christian denominations. Together, CHAG institutions deliver nearly one-third of Ghana’s total healthcare services. He added that CHAG’s 22 training institutions collectively train over 5,000 healthcare professionals — including nurses, midwives, physiotherapists, doctors, and technicians — every year.
The conference, coming at a time when Ghana strives to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC), underscored the crucial role of faith-based institutions in delivering equitable and people-centered care. Participants called for renewed commitment to ethical values and Christian compassion as cornerstones of Ghana’s healthcare transformation.