Get onto NHIS and enjoy free healthcare delivery – NHIA

The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has encouraged the citizenry to enroll onto the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to help enjoy NHIS benefits by accessing free health care services.

The authority wants NHIS members who have their insurance expired to get them renewed as the service is determined to expand and progress quality health care in Ghana.

Chief Executive Officer for NHIA Dr. Lydia Dsane-Selby made the call when speaking at the launch of NHIS Week-long celebration 2021 under the Theme ” NHIS: using the Ghana Card for Expanding Access to Health Care “.

She indicated that the maiden edition last year enabled the service to register and renew 750,000 people onto the scheme and it is anticipated that the service will achieve universal health coverage through the linkage of the NHIS card with the Ghana Card.

Dr. Dsane-Selby has underscored that the authority is leveraging on the use of information Technology and Ghana’s digitalization innovation to rigorously include every resident with a Ghana Card onto the NHIS.

She reiterated that the authority seeks to expand service provision through evidence-based and data driven modifications to the NHIS benefit package clarifying that the linkage of the NHIS card with the Ghana Card will provide the service the opportunity to plan preventive healthcare services available to NHIS members.

She stated categorically that NHIS remains a cardinal instrument in the provision of comprehensive healthcare services to the citizenry and thus implore the religious bodies, civil societies and corporate entities to organize renewal parties where the cost of NHIS membership is catered for.

First Lady, H.E Rebecca Naa Okaikor Akufo-Addo speaking in the capacity as the guest speaker at the launch lauded NHIA for including four (4) Childhood Cancer to the NHIS benefit package.

She described the move as indispensable, feasible and cost effective as has the tendency of improving the survival of children with cancers.

The first lady likewise entreated the general public to voluntarily and zealously enroll onto the scheme as the authority has included family planning to the NHIS benefit package from January 2022.

Meanwhile, the health minister, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu has said that the government is focused on improving the infrastructure, equipment and laboratory facilities in the health sector to complement the expansion and achievement of the NHIS.

He indicated that the government will continue to ensure that the NHIS finances are released on time to solve the problems of unpaid bills to healthcare providers since the smooth operationalization of the scheme remains the government’s major priority.