The Korea Foundation for International Healthcare (KOFIH) Country Director, Bomin Yang, met with the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) CEO, Dr. Victor Asare Bampoe, to explore opportunities for collaboration.
The collaboration, which began in 2013, aims to improve access to quality healthcare in Ghana.
During the meeting, they reviewed past, ongoing, and proposed future projects under the NHIA-KOFIH-funded collaborations. Discussions focused on the scope and focus of the new project, ensuring alignment with the government’s current health policies.
In his remarks Mr. Yang highlighted the success of the ongoing collaboration, noting that since 2013, KOFIH has been dedicated to supporting the NHIA’s efforts to strengthen the National Health Insurance Scheme.
“We have had great accomplishments, and as the current project is coming to an end this year, we are excited about the new opportunities for collaboration with NHIA.
“We look forward to developing new projects together with your team, and we expect them to bring great success in improving health insurance management and coverage in Ghana,” he said.
He added that “As we prepare for a new phase of collaboration, we look forward to developing impactful projects together to further strengthen Ghana’s healthcare system,” he said.
Dr. Bampoe emphasised the need to strengthen internal controls, improve technology, and address out-of-pocket .
He acknowledged KOFIH’s invaluable support in strengthening the NHIA’s efforts to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
“The first priority is to strengthen internal controls within the NHIA to ensure that the funding received is used more efficiently. The new government and the President have uncapped the NHIA fund, meaning there will be more money available for health services. However, we are under scrutiny, and it is crucial that we manage these resources wisely. To this end, the NHIA is focusing on improving fiscal management, strengthening internal controls, and ensuring fraud prevention in the automated claims payment process.
“Another area of focus is improving the use of technology to enhance the NHIA’s operations. We are looking at unifying our various systems to create a more seamless operation. Technology will be the backbone of our strategy to enhance efficiency and prevent issues like fraud,” Dr. Bampoe stated.
The Director of Research, Dr. Francis Asenso Boadi, provided an update on the ongoing collaboration, highlighting successes and outlining future initiatives.
He mentioned a new project concept paper, focusing on aligning with the new administration’s vision for health policy.
The project is expected to receive significant financial support, with funding potentially ranging from $3.4 million.
The collaboration has established initiatives such as the NHIA-KOFIH Health Insurance Knowledge Sharing Centre, building local capacity and developing training modules.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
