By Savannah Pokuaah Duah
The Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has reaffirmed government’s commitment to strengthen Ghana’s National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) through sustainable funding and decisive policy reforms aimed at achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by 2030.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ conference organized by the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) at the Alisa Hotel, the Minister commended the Authority for its transformation journey — from the pilot phase to the robust scheme it has become today — and attributed its sustainability to strong domestic financing.
“It is not by coincidence that we have a sustainable National Health Insurance Scheme. It is because it is anchored on domestic resource mobilization, which we must not take for granted,” the Minister said.
He stated that the NHIS has moved past the era of delayed payments to service providers, a long-standing concern that had previously affected healthcare delivery.
“By the grace of God, the issue of delayed claims payment is now a thing of the past — a promise made and a promise kept by His Excellency John Dramani Mahama,” Akandoh declared.
The Minister further disclosed that the government, in collaboration with the NHIA, is working to implement realistic tariffs to ensure fairness to service providers and sustainability for the scheme.
However, he expressed concern over the persistence of illegal payments, commonly known as copayments, in some health facilities, describing the practice as a breach of public trust.
“When citizens go to health facilities and are asked to pay extra despite being insured, it erodes confidence in the scheme. We must pursue aggressive measures to eliminate such practices,” he emphasized.
Minister Akandoh called on the NHIA to commend facilities that comply with the scheme’s rules and sanction those that exploit patients.
He also announced that government is fast-tracking the Free Primary Healthcare Policy, which will allow all Ghanaians — whether insured or not — to access essential health services at no cost.
“One of the key barriers to achieving universal health coverage is cost. That is why the President has decided that every Ghanaian should have access to free primary healthcare,” he revealed, adding that stakeholder consultations on the policy are ongoing and implementation will begin soon.
The Minister assured stakeholders that the Ministry of Health is working with the NHIA to expedite the passage of the NHIS Legislative Instrument (L.I.), which will enhance regulation, accountability, and operational efficiency.
He further disclosed that the Ministry is addressing challenges related to electronic medical records, emphasizing that efforts are underway to resolve inherited system bottlenecks.
“At the Ministry, we don’t only identify problems; we also find solutions. Tomorrow morning, our technical teams will meet to review progress and outline steps being taken to fix these challenges,” he stated.
Minister Akandoh commended the leadership of the NHIA, the Ghana Health Service, and other sector agencies for their dedication to improving healthcare delivery, describing their efforts as the “backbone” of the country’s health system.
The stakeholders’ conference, organized by the National Health Insurance Authority, brought together policymakers, health experts, and traditional leaders to discuss strategic partnerships towards a more inclusive and resilient health insurance system.
