The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has initiated a campaign to intensify efforts to achieve 80 per cent active membership coverage by the end of the year.
The intensified drive, dubbed the “80 Campaign” and anchored on the call “From 70 to 80 – Let’s Cover More,” forms part of the Authority’s broader efforts to advance Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by expanding financial protection and improving the experience of NHIS members.
The campaign brings a renewed focus on reaching people outside the Scheme, retaining existing members, and ensuring that membership translates into meaningful access to quality healthcare.
Active membership currently stands at 70 per cent.
The Chief Executive of the NHIA, Dr Victor Asare Bampoe, said the 80 per cent target campaign represented a deliberate and strategic effort to bring more Ghanaians under effective health protection.
“The 80 is more than a number. It is a deliberate, well-thought-out campaign to achieve 80 per cent active NHIS membership coverage by the end of 2026, a critical step towards Ghana’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) goal.
“The goal is not only to register people but to ensure that they maintain active membership so that they can access healthcare when they need it without suffering financial hardship,” he said.
Dr Bampoe said the NHIS covered about 95 per cent of disease conditions in Ghana, making active membership an important component of the country’s efforts to achieve UHC.
He said the Authority’s membership strategy was therefore anchored on four key imperatives: “Find them. Register them. Keep them active. Protect them.”
Dr Bampoe stated that the NHIA is introducing new initiatives and strengthening existing programmes to achieve its membership target.
These efforts include community mobilisation, public education, digital platforms, institutional partnerships, and targeted outreach to make NHIS registration and renewal more accessible, especially for underserved communities.
Key initiatives include the Market Storm Initiative, NHIS Festive Pulse, Faith and Wellness Drive, and NHIS Campus Connect, which bring services directly to communities and tertiary institutions.
The NHIA is also expanding digital access through the MyNHIS App and the *929# USSD service, enabling members to register, renew, and access selected services remotely, reducing the need to visit NHIA offices and helping members maintain active coverage.
Dr Bampoe said the NHIA is pursuing its 80 per cent active membership target alongside ensuring that members are not charged for services already covered by the Scheme.
A key measure is the current 50 per cent increase in NHIS service tariffs to make provider reimbursement more responsive to the market cost of delivering healthcare services and strengthen provider confidence in the Scheme.
He added that better provider payments would help ensure the NHIS card functions as intended, enabling members to receive covered healthcare services more effectively.
“Because when the people caring for you are properly paid, your card works the way it should. No excuses at the counter. No being asked to pay for what’s already yours. You show your card, you get your care,” he said.
The NHIA is strengthening the Pulpit Initiative, also known as the Customer Experience Point, under which NHIA personnel are stationed at selected credentialed health facilities to serve as an immediate point of contact for members who encounter difficulties while accessing services.
“As part of efforts to enhance the value of NHIS membership, the NHIA is intensifying its nationwide campaign against illegal charges, often wrongly referred to as “co-payments”, at credentialed health facilities.
“The Authority maintains that there is no co-payment policy under Ghana’s NHIS, and members should not be charged for services covered by the Scheme. By strengthening provider reimbursement, increasing monitoring, expanding the Customer Experience Point (Pulpit Initiative), and encouraging members to report unauthorised charges, the NHIA is committed to protecting members from illegal payments, restoring public confidence, and ensuring that every active NHIS card delivers the full benefits and financial protection it promises,” he said.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
