The CEO of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has officially commissioned a new office complex in Damongo, aimed at expanding healthcare access for residents of the West Gonja Municipality in the Savannah Region.
The inauguration ceremony held on Monday, 21st October, 2024, was led by the Chief Executive Officer of the NHIA, Dr. Da-Costa Aboagye, alongside the Municipal chief Executive for west Gonja ( Hon. Musah Kusubari ), healthcare providers, and other heads of departments .
In his welcome address, Savannah Regional Director of the NHIS, Chief Dauda Mahama, expressed pride in the completion of the new facility, highlighting the NHIS’s ongoing efforts to improve healthcare delivery in the region. “This new office stands as a beacon of hope and assurance, symbolizing the NHIS’s unwavering dedication to the wellbeing of every individual,” he remarked. The new West Gonja office follows the commissioning of the Savannah Regional Office earlier in February and is part of NHIS’s broader mission to bring healthcare services closer to Ghanaians.
Chief Dauda also noted that 63% of the Savannah Region’s membership target of 500,795 has already been registered with the NHIS, and the new office will further support the growing population in accessing healthcare services.
Dr. Da-Costa Aboagye, in his address, underscored the NHIA’s commitment to expanding healthcare access across Ghana, stating that the new office is a symbol of NHIS’s dedication to ensuring no one is left behind. “This is not just a building; it represents our commitment to improving healthcare access and outcomes for every citizen in this region,” he said.
Dr. Aboagye emphasized that the NHIS has experienced substantial growth, with membership rising from 10 million in 2015 to 17.8 million in 2023, and projected to reach 20.8 million by the end of this year.
The CEO also touched on the NHIA’s significant strides in reducing healthcare debts, announcing that payments of over 800 million cedis in claims have been made recently, with all claims paid up to August 2024. This, he noted, was part of the NHIA’s efforts to curb illegal charges in healthcare facilities, a practice often attributed to delayed payments.
The NHIA has also introduced new initiatives to further improve healthcare delivery, including the integration of the NHIS with the Ghana Card, allowing easier access to services, and the launch of the E-Pharmacy policy, which will ensure quick access to medications for NHIS members. Additionally, the NHIS benefit package has been expanded to include coverage for mental health conditions like Depression, Bipolar Disorder, and Schizophrenia, set to take effect from November 2024.
Dr. Aboagye thanked the people of Damongo and the Member of Parliament, Samuel Abu Jinapor for their support and called for continued collaboration to achieve universal health coverage in Ghana by 2030.
The event was chaired by the West Gonja Municipal Chief Executive, Hon. Musah Karimu Kusubari, who expressed his gratitude to the CEO and the government for the construction of the new facility, which is intended to improve healthcare services in the region.
He shared the challenges he faced in acquiring the land from the Department of Agriculture for the facility’s construction, but expressed his thanks to God that the project has finally come to fruition.
During the event, he took the opportunity to request continued logistical support from the CEO, particularly for the offices in Bole and Sawla, which are in urgent need of vehicles to help with their daily operations.
Source: Padfm.com.gh/Kumatey Gorden/0243531604
