The government has renewed its commitment to enhance Ghana’s National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) with a focus on sustainable funding and policy reforms. At a recent stakeholders’ conference, Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh emphasized the aim of achieving universal health coverage (UHC) by the year 2030, highlighting the significant progress made by the NHIA.
The Minister commended the NHIA for its journey from a pilot phase to a strong, sustainable scheme. He noted the importance of domestic resource mobilization in ensuring the scheme’s sustainability, saying, “It is not by coincidence that we have a sustainable national health insurance scheme…” Furthermore, Akandoh addressed past issues of delayed payments to service providers, insisting, “By the grace of God, the issue of delayed claims payment is now a thing of the past.” This illustrates the government’s ongoing reforms to improve healthcare delivery.
Minister Akandoh expressed concern regarding illegal payments, also referred to as copayments, which continue to occur in some health facilities. Describing these practices as a breach of public trust, he stated, “When citizens go to health facilities and are asked to pay extra despite being insured, it erodes confidence in the scheme.” The government aims to implement measures that ensure fair treatment for patients and to commend facilities that adhere to NHIS regulations.
With plans to implement a free primary healthcare policy and fast-track the NHIS legislative instrument, Minister Akandoh assured stakeholders that the Ministry of Health is dedicated to resolving ongoing challenges within the health system, ultimately leading towards a healthier future for all Ghanaians.