NHIA puts up strategies to brighten future of Private Health Insurers

The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) is putting up innovative strategies to brighten the future for recognized Private Health Insurance Scheme Operators in Ghana.

According to the Authority’s Board Chair, Professor Yaw Adu-Gyamfi, the pivotal role of private health insurers on the path to Universal Health Coverage (UHC) cannot be underestimated, hence the move to ensure their financial sustainability.

“Private health insurance is the bedrock of health care provision among corporate Ghana. Private sector participation is crucial in attaining UHC. We will do everything possible to sustain private schemes. We will vigorously monitor to ensure financial sustainability, improve general performance to grow the market in general.”

Professor Yaw Adu-Gyamfi was addressing participants at a Forum spearheaded by the Private Health Insurance Schemes (PHIS) Directorate of the NHIA held at the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC).

As the theme indicated, ‘Growing the Private Health Insurance Industry for the Future,’ the forum formed part of the NHIS Week celebration which commenced on Monday, November 9, 2020, with the launch of the integrated Ghana card and NHIS card by Vice President, Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.

He said the Authority would improve stakeholder engagements through the right channels of communication to enhance the relationship between the NHIA and industry players.

The NHIA’s Chief Executive, Dr. Lydia Dsane-Selby added that her administration targeted at getting more people enrolled in the Scheme through a mass membership mobilization drive during the weeklong celebration and beyond.

She called on non members to join the active membership and that all NHIS cardholders should use the Mobile Renewal Service shortcode *929# to renew their membership, rather than visiting the district offices for the same service.

Chairman for the occasion, Dr. Nicholas Ankomah Tweneboa underscored the need for a multifaceted approach to solving the myriad challenges impeding healthcare delivery.

Experts in the health sector including  Agnes Emefa Essah of Nyaho Medical Centre, Nancy Ampah of the NMH Nationwide Medical Insurance Company Limited, Professor Yaw-Adu-Gyamfi, and  Abubakar Kwame Essuman of Bank of Africa provided insight into various perspectives of the health insurance industry.

While Ms. Agnes Emefa Essah highlighted the Provider perspective, Mrs. Nancy Ampah touched on the PHIS perspective.

Professor Yaw-Adu-Gyamfi dealt with the Regulator’s perspective and Mr. Abubakar Kwame Essuman’s presentation focused on the Client’s perspective.

The active participants’ input in the form of questions, comments, suggestions, and proposals to improve healthcare service delivery made the forum interactive.

The participants were Shareholders, Board Chairmen, Chief Executive Officers, Managing Directors of private health insurance schemes, and development partners.

On 17th September 2020, the NHIA’s Governing Board and management organized a stakeholder engagement under the theme, “Challenges facing the private health insurance industry.”

The meeting which was at the instance of the NHIA Board covered a broad range of topics such as governance, operational, financial, and general challenges in Ghana’s Private Health Insurance Scheme industry.