PharmAccess Ghana and the Healthcare Federation of Ghana (HFG) have signed a landmark licensing agreement that will grant the HFG access to the globally recognised SafeCare Quality Improvement Programme.
The agreement, which was signed in Accra, paves the way for HFG to implement the latest version of the programme which is “SafeCare Version 5”, accredited by the International Society for Quality in Healthcare (ISQua).
This development positions Ghana among the first countries globally to deploy the newest version of the SafeCare standards.
It also marks the final step in integrating the SafeCare quality framework across the country’s public, faith-based, and now private health sectors.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Country Director of PharmAccess Ghana, Dr Maxwell Antwi, said the move was a bold initiative to transform healthcare delivery in the private sector.
He stressed that PharmAccess, for more than 20 years, had focused on leveraging data and technology to build inclusive health markets and improve access to quality healthcare.
“SafeCare, a sister foundation, is central to our mission. It is operational in 27 countries, working with 34 partners and impacting over 9,500 facilities,” he noted.
Dr Antwi disclosed that the programme had conducted over 8,500 digital quality assessments and trained close to 1,000 internationally certified assessors.
“Over 70 per cent of facilities that use SafeCare show measurable improvements in quality and serve nearly 100 million patients annually,” he stated.
Additionally, he said earlier this year, the Ministry of Health adopted SafeCare as a national quality standard, describing it as a “watershed moment” in Ghana’s health sector.
The Country Director of SafeCare Ghana, Ms Bonafasia Agyei, indicated that the licence agreement completed the “triangle” of SafeCare’s national implementation.
She noted that SafeCare focuses not only on clinical quality, but also on improving operational efficiency, business performance, and patient experience.
On his part, the President of HFG, Mr Charles Fordjour, described the partnership as a major milestone that would reshape the landscape of private healthcare delivery in Ghana.
“This is a very important day for the future of healthcare in our country. With this partnership, we can say confidently that our services meet global benchmarks,” he mentioned.
Mr Fordjour also pointed out that over 70 per cent of healthcare facilities in Ghana fall within the private sector, and more than 60 per cent of the population relies on private healthcare services.
He further said the agreement would empower the Federation to train assessors and certify member facilities using the SafeCare Version 5 standards, thus enhancing service quality and accountability.
Also present at the event was the President-Elect of the West African Federation of Private Health Sector (FOASPS), Dr Linda Deka, who said the agreement was a personal and professional milestone.
Providing a facility-level perspective, Dr Irene Adorkor Wulff, CEO of FOCOS Orthopaedic Hospital, emphasised that her institution was currently preparing for Joint Commission International (JCI) accreditation.
“Quality care is not cheap, but it is a worthwhile investment. When patients experience proper care, they stay. That’s how trust is built,” she stated.
The event attracted several dignitaries including President of FOASPS, Dr Joseph Boguifo, and Country Director of PharmAccess Nigeria, Ms Njide Ndili.
BY CLIFF EKUFUL
