Declining donor funding makes CHAG partnership more critical – Finance Ministry

The Ministry of Finance has identified the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) as a critical partner in sustaining healthcare delivery as Ghana grapples with declining donor support and increasing pressure to finance its own health priorities.

Delivering remarks on behalf of Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson at the opening of the 2026 CHAG Annual Conference in Koforidua, Technical Advisor at the Ministry of Finance, Dr Theo Acheampong, said the changing global financing landscape makes stronger collaboration between government, CHAG and the private sector more important than ever.

“Beyond public financing, we must also recognise that the global financing environment is changing. Development assistance is becoming increasingly constrained, and Ghana is already experiencing the effects of declining overseas development support,” he said.

According to Dr Acheampong, the reduction in external development financing means Ghana can no longer depend heavily on donor support to fund essential healthcare services.

“This means we must increasingly finance our own development priorities. That requires stronger domestic systems, improved public financing, greater efficiency, careful prioritisation and stronger accountability,” he stated.

He said government is therefore looking beyond traditional public financing and is pursuing innovative approaches to ensure the long-term sustainability of the country’s health system.

“It also requires innovation. The future of healthcare financing will increasingly depend on innovative financing instruments, stronger public-private partnerships and greater mobilisation of private capital to complement government investment,” he said.

Dr. Acheampong described CHAG as an indispensable partner in that strategy, citing its nationwide network, community trust and decades of service in rural and underserved communities.

“Government cannot achieve this vision alone. We need CHAG. Together, we have the opportunity to build one of Africa’s strongest community-based healthcare systems – one that is sustainably financed, efficiently managed, and deeply rooted in public trust,” he said.

He reaffirmed government’s commitment to strengthening its partnership with CHAG as part of efforts to deliver the Free Primary Health Care programme and achieve Universal Health Coverage.

“A partnership in which government provides the enabling policy environment and financing framework, and CHAG continues to deliver compassionate, efficient and trusted healthcare,” he added.

The Finance Ministry also announced that CHAG facilities will receive their fair share of equipment and infrastructure investments under the Free Primary Health Care programme, while the government continues reforms to strengthen the financial sustainability of the National Health Insurance Scheme.

Dr Acheampong said Parliament has approved GH¢10.7 billion for the NHIS in 2025, including GH¢6.5 billion for provider claims, describing it as one of the strongest commitments to health provider payments in recent years.

The Christian Health Association of Ghana operates 375 health facilities across all 16 regions and provides between 30 and 40 per cent of healthcare services nationwide, despite owning only about seven per cent of the country’s health infrastructure.

Its network serves between eight and ten million patients annually and remains one of the government’s principal partners in delivering healthcare to rural and hard-to-reach communities.