STAR-Ghana Foundation Hosts National Convening on Tracking Government Commitments in Health Sector

STAR-Ghana Foundation has brought together key stakeholders in the health sector to track government commitments and ensure accountability.

According to Raymond Danso, Manager of the Rights to Social Services Portfolio at STAR-Ghana Foundation, “We have looked at the key manifesto promises, the key themes, the different intervention areas, and really looking at how best we would be able to monitor progress and also support the government to be able to achieve that vision.”

The Southern sector convening, which took place in Accra on March 13, 2025, is part of the Inclusive Elections & Accountable Governance in Ghana Project (Phase III) and the Gender Rights and Empowerment Project (G-REP), funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). The project aims to strengthen civil society’s role in monitoring government performance and advocating for reforms.

Danso emphasized that the foundation has been working to influence government policies, particularly in the health sector.

We submitted three key issues to the government, including the uncapping the health insurance levy, and we are glad to see that some of these issues have been reflected in the recent budget statement,” he said.

The STAR-Ghana Foundation has also developed a manifesto tracker to monitor government commitments and provide feedback.

Danso noted that there are still areas that need to be worked on, and the foundation is prepared to propose alternative policies and best practices to the government for adoption and implementation.

Danso explained that the foundation’s work is a long journey that began with nationwide consultations. “We met with a wide range of stakeholders, including youth, persons with disabilities, informal sector workers, and duty bearers, including some political parties. We amplified the issues that we had consolidated and advocated for them to be included in the manifestos.”

He added that the foundation is excited to see that some of the issues they advocated for have been reflected in the government’s budget statement.

This will bring relief to private hospitals and enable the government to work towards free primary health care.”

The convening also discussed the issue of free primary health care, which was a major theme in the recent budget statement. Danso noted that rural and deprived communities rely heavily on public health care centers, such as Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compounds.

These communities are looking forward to seeing a transformed health care system, with access to preventive health services before being referred to district and regional hospitals.”

The STAR-Ghana Foundation’s national convening is a critical step towards ensuring that the government’s commitments in the health sector are tracked and implemented. By bringing together key stakeholders and developing a manifesto tracker, the foundation is working to promote accountability and transparency in the health sector.