NHIS 10th Anniversary Celebration Launched
The 10th Anniversary celebration of the National Health Insurance Scheme [NHIS] has been launched in Accra with a promise by Government to be more committed to ensuring quality health care delivery in the country and also makes the NHIS sustainable.
The anniversary launching which brought together participants from the Government, politics, academia, health professionals, consultants, and the media amongst others would be held under the Theme: 'Towards Universal Coverage: Increasing Enrolment whist Ensuring Sustainability'.
The occasion was also used to launch the new NHIS instant ID cards as well as the unveiling of the NHIS enhanced brand. The rebranding is expected to bring efficiency and enhance the scheme.
Deputy Minister for Health, hon. Tia Alfred Sugri congratulated the National Health Insurance Authority [NHIA] and urged it to live its brand promise of efficiency and instant ID card delivery.
In a speech he read on behalf of the Sector Health Minister, hon. Sherry Ayittey, the Deputy Minister also encouraged the people of Ghana to take part in the events lined up to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the NHIS.
At age 10, the NHIS has chalked many milestones, undertaken many initiatives and been transformed in many ways. It is clear that the NHIS of yesterday is not the NHIS of today, but the Scheme faces new challenges which would require re-strategizing to deal with.
On his part, the NHIA Chief Executive Officer [CEO] Mr. Sylvester Mensah pointed out that the 10th anniversary is a good time to take stock and re-strategize for the future.
Any assessment of the NHIS at this point would indicate that it is a success story despite its imperfections as its immense importance is evident across the country.
He paid tribute to the architects of the scheme and the well-meaning individuals and groups whose efforts, commitment, and dedication have brought the NHIS this far.
He mentioned that Up to 90% of patients who throng most of the healthcare facilities in the country are NHIS subscribers whilst 85% to 90% of Internally Generated Funds (IGF) in public healthcare facilities is derived from NHIS reimbursements.
According to him Indications are that the introduction of the scheme has occasioned an improvement in the healthcare seeking behaviour of many people in Ghana , who now tend to seek medical attention earlier than before.
Mr. Mensah said in the relatively short period of its implementation, the NHIS has gained international recognition and acclaim, culminating in the UN Award for Excellence and Leadership in November 2010.
Numerous study tours by delegations from foreign countries and institutions confirm the status of Ghana's NHIS as an emerging model for countries in the Developing World and an international hub for knowledge and experience sharing, the NHIA Boss disclosed.
Among the indelible landmarks of the NHIS since its inception, he mentioned the free maternal care introduced in 2008, introduction of Act 852 of 2012 which removed some administrative bottlenecks such as corruption, Clinical Auditing, Claims Processing Centre (CPC) , the NHIS Call Centre which was designed to deepen the partnership between the NHIS and its subscribers and other stakeholders.
The 10th anniversary of the NHIS is therefore an opportune time to refurbish and enhance its image in order to reflect its improvements over time, growth at home, and high profile abroad, enhance the brand to renew public faith in the purpose of the Scheme and hopefully bestow all the benefits that a reinvigorated brand identity has to offer.
Mr. Sylvester Mensah added that the enhancement of the brand is also aimed at building a strong, impactful, sustainable and positive image for the NHIS brand, sending signals to stakeholders, as well as managing behaviour and communication.