Ghana Prisons Service launches medicine bank to address healthcare shortages

The Ghana Prisons Service is addressing critical shortages of essential medicines through a new centralized “Medicine Bank” initiative. The program aims to ensure a reliable supply of drugs to prison facilities nationwide, reducing treatment delays and the necessity of transferring inmates to external hospitals.

To support this effort, the Central Regional Division of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) recently conducted health screenings for 334 inmates and officers at the Ankaful Maximum Security Prison. The outreach, organized in collaboration with the Central Regional Health Directorate, included the donation of assorted medical supplies to the facility.

Dr. Emmanuel Owusu Ofori, Chairman of the Central Regional GMA, emphasized that the donation is part of a social responsibility to provide quality primary healthcare to underserved populations. The screenings covered various conditions, including hypertension, diabetes, skin, eye, dental, and psychiatric conditions. The Central Regional Prison Medicine and Equipment Bank is scheduled for official launch on September 30, 2026.