H.E. President J.A. Kufour in 2001 espoused his vision for this country, which is to move Ghana into a middle income status by the year 2015. As Minister of Health, I reflected on this vision, and consulted widely on how the health sector can contribute to this vision. Four simple but powerful messages emerged from this exercise.

HEALTH CREATES WEALTH

You would agree with me that ill-health retards socio-economic development and leads to poverty. Improving health leads to saving money which otherwise is expended on treating preventable diseases and avoidable injuries at the individual, family and national levels. The money and other resources that are freed up can be invested in other sectors such as education, infrastructure, agriculture, etc. at the national level, whilst individuals and families increase the level of their disposable incomes.