NHIS Calls for Stronger Stakeholder Collaboration to Sustain Universal Health Coverage

The Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese (AAK) office of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) has called for stronger collaboration among stakeholders to consolidate Ghana’s progress toward Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

Speaking at a forum themed “Sustaining our Gains Towards Universal Health Coverage: A Collective Responsibility,” District Manager Mr. Edward Mensah urged all actors in the health sector to recommit to the UHC agenda, stressing that recent achievements must be safeguarded through collective responsibility and systemic reform.

He noted that the NHIS had chalked significant milestones, including the introduction of digital enrolment systems, automatic free renewal for SSNIT contributors and pensioners, and free healthcare services for pregnant women, children with cancer, and patients with chronic non-communicable diseases under President John Dramani Mahama‘s flagship “MAHAMA CARE” initiative.

“These are not just statistics,” Mr. Mensah said. “They represent lives improved, families supported, and futures secured. But we cannot afford complacency. Barriers to access remain, especially for the poor and vulnerable.”

While acknowledging progress, he cautioned that systemic gaps such as illegal payments, data integrity issues, low public awareness, and logistical challenges continue to undermine NHIS operations and deny vulnerable groups the services they are entitled to.

“Why should a poor pregnant woman pay for services that NHIS fully covers?” he questioned, warning that such practices erode public confidence and discourage the vulnerable from seeking care.

Mr. Mensah called for a united front involving government agencies, healthcare providers, NGOs, religious leaders, and local assemblies to close existing gaps.
“We must see ourselves as complementors, not competitors. We are all potential patients,” he stressed.

He further emphasised the need for continuous monitoring and feedback mechanisms, pointing out that sustaining progress requires constant evaluation and adjustment through key performance indicators.

His remarks align with the broader health policy vision of President Mahama, whose administration expanded equitable healthcare access through initiatives such as Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compounds and the digitisation of NHIS systems.

Health analysts say the NHIS’s renewed focus on stakeholder collaboration and digital innovation mirrors global best practices for achieving UHC. However, they caution that without addressing inefficiencies and rebuilding public trust, Ghana risks backsliding on its health equity goals.

Mr. Mensah concluded with a rallying call:
“Let’s give our best to reset our health institutions into robust, resilient, and globally admired systems. The road ahead may be challenging, but it is one we must walk together.”