Government has recorded substantial strides in solidifying Ghana’s health sector, with the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) experiencing rapid operational improvements, Health Minister Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has declared.
Addressing delegates at the 33rd Annual General Conference of the District Directors of Health Services (DDHS) Group in Bolgatanga—held under the theme “FROM POLICY TO PRACTICE: The DDHS Driving Free Primary Health Care in Ghana”—the Minister revealed that scheme enrollment surged from 57% to 76% in under two years under the present administration.
The Minister highlighted a dramatic turnaround in reimbursement timelines for service providers, contrasting current operations with historical backlogs.
“Prior to my appointment, I led many press conferences against delays in the payment of National Health Insurance claims. Today, the delay is not as much as we came to meet. Now there is prompt payment of claims,” he stated.
Hon. Akandoh, who previously served as the Ranking Member on Parliament’s Health Committee for seven years, explained that these gains stem from deliberate fiscal policy shifts rather than chance.
Key amongst these reforms was the decision to end the capping of the National Health Insurance Levy, which previously saw substantial revenue diverted into the Consolidated Fund. Illustrating the impact of the former policy, he noted that in 2024, only GH¢6 billion of the GH¢10 billion generated by the levy reached the NHIS, while GH¢4 billion went to non-health expenditures.
Under President Mahama’s administration, the entire yield from the levy is now directed exclusively to the National Health Insurance Fund, leading to the full release of the GH¢10 billion allocation in 2025.
This financial ring-fencing clears the path for key healthcare commitments, notably the Free Primary Health Care policy. Supported by a $1.5 billion allocation from the Fund, the policy will go before Parliament annually for approval via the standard NHIS allocation formula.
Hon. Akandoh re-emphasised that with continued dedication, the NHIS stands out as a dependable mechanism for funding healthcare delivery across the nation, adding that state efforts remain focused on expanding coverage alongside structural updates to the scheme itself.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
