The Minister of Health and Member of Parliament for Juaboso, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has revealed that the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) now covers 15.67 million Ghanaians — an increase of over 670,000 from the previous year.
This milestone marks a significant expansion in health insurance coverage, enabling more Ghanaians to access vital healthcare services.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series held at Jubilee House on Friday, July 18, the Minister said,
“Today, 15.67 million Ghanaians are enrolled in the NHIS an increase of over 670,000 from last year. What this means is that 670,000 more Ghanaians are now benefiting from health insurance coverage.”
He highlighted the government’s swift response to challenges facing the health sector, especially the funding shortfall resulting from the exit and budget cuts of development partners. Following directives from President Mahama, the government prioritized funds to bridge these gaps.
“Still on financing, we continue to collaborate with private partners to invest in healthcare infrastructure through PPP arrangements. Currently, we have identified a partner conducting a nationwide assessment that will underpin our retooling agenda for health facilities.”
The Minister underscored the government’s firm commitment to sustainable health financing:
“One of our main commitments is to guarantee sustainable funding for the health sector. Thanks to the visionary decision to uncap the National Health Insurance Levy, the NHIA’s revenue for 2025 has soared to an unprecedented 9.76 billion Ghana cedis compared to the previous capped budgetary allocation of 6.52 billion Ghana cedis in 2024 — a massive increase of 3.26 billion Ghana cedis. This additional funding is a game-changer, enabling the NHIS to expand coverage, enhance benefits, and strengthen Ghana’s progress towards achieving universal health coverage. This is the government fulfilling its promise to prioritise the health of every citizen.”
With increased resources, the NHIS has also improved its capacity to settle claims:
“Furthermore, with the increased funding to the NHIS, we have increased allocations for claims payments from 56.2% in 2024 to 65% in 2025, and plan to increase to 75% by 2026. As the fund grows, we ensure that every cedi reaches frontline services, providing quality care to all Ghanaians” he said.
The Minister also expressed pride in the government’s commitment to timely payments:
“Not only have we uncapped the levy, but we have also been committed to releasing funds swiftly. I am proud to announce that all NHIS claims arrears totalling GHS 603 million as of December 2024 have been fully settled. This milestone demonstrates our government’s steadfast dedication to timely payments and fulfilling our obligations to healthcare providers.”
He added that the NHIA disbursed over GHS 1.38 billion to healthcare providers in the first half of 2025 alone, reflecting a stronger, more responsive, and more reliable system.
“This turnaround demonstrates that we are developing a health insurance scheme that benefits all Ghanaians.”
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