As Ghana joined the global community in marking World Health Day on April 7, 2025, a new report by Afrobarometer has revealed that access to affordable and adequate healthcare remains a pressing concern for most Ghanaians.
The survey, conducted in August 2024 by the Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), found that more than half of Ghanaians say they or a member of their household went without medical treatment or medication at least once over the past year—a figure that has seen a sharp 21-percentage-point increase since 2019.
This marks a significant deterioration in access to healthcare over the past five years, raising concerns about the effectiveness of public health interventions and the resilience of the healthcare system.
Healthcare is now the third most important issue Ghanaians want their government to address, cited by 33% of respondents.
It trails only behind unemployment (41%) and infrastructure/roads (38%), showing the urgent public demand for better services.
These findings come amid persistent economic challenges that continue to put pressure on families’ ability to afford essential services, including medical care.
The study also reports that nearly two-thirds of Ghanaians (63%) say they are worried—either “somewhat” or “a lot”—that they or a family member would be unable to access or afford medical care if they became ill.
An additional 19% said they worry “a little,” underscoring the widespread insecurity around health access.
In light of these concerns, a strong majority (62%) of Ghanaians say they would support government efforts to provide universal access to adequate healthcare, even if it means raising taxes.
This sentiment suggests growing public willingness to back policies that ensure healthcare coverage for all, despite potential financial implications.
The Afrobarometer report provides a snapshot of the views of ordinary Ghanaians on public service delivery and social policy at a time when the country continues to work toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 3, which focuses on good health and well-being.
