About one hundred and ten (110) children from the Tamale Children’s Home have been enrolled in the National Health Insurance Scheme, while others had their expired membership status renewed.

This comes after the Tamale South District office of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) launched a mass registration crusade in July as part of the authority’s outreach campaign, which was aimed at enrolling vulnerable groups across the region.

During the exercise, the authority registered most of the children at the charity home, including new members and those renewing their membership, marking a significant number of them being enrolled.

The initiative was led by the District Manager of NHIS Tamale South, Mohammed Suhuyini Basit, with support from the Nyohini South Electoral Area Assemblyman, Hon. Yakubu Hamza.

In a gesture of gratitude, the Orphanage Manager, Madam Sulemana Sera, lauded the NHIS district management team for their proactiveness and prioritising the orphans' health needs.

She appealed to Mr. Suhuyini to make the exercise an annual exercise, citing the exercise’s impact on the children at the orphanage.

Mr. Mohammed Suhuyini Basit, in response, assured the orphanage management of continuing the exercise every year. Tamale South Member of Parliament, Hon. Yakubu Hamza, thanked the NHIS team for the humanitarian service and urged residents of his electoral area to sign up for the Scheme.

Travel Center Ghana, in a bid to support healthcare delivery, made a GHC 2,000 donation to aid registration for children in nearby communities.

Meanwhile, the government has disbursed over GH¢1.38 billion to healthcare providers from January to June this year. This was disclosed by the Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, at the second edition of the Government Accountability Series on Friday, July 18.

According to him, the recent disbursement is part of broader efforts to ensure timely support for service providers. "I'm proud to announce a total of GH¢603 million as of December 2024, have been fully settled. This milestone demonstrates our commitment, government's steadfast dedication to timely payments and fulfilling our obligations to healthcare providers.

"In the first half of 2025 alone, The National Health Insurance Authority disbursed over GH¢1.38 billion to providers, reflecting a system that is stronger, more responsive, and more reliable than ever before," he stated.

Last month, the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) announced the disbursement of an amount of GH¢267.67 million as claims to health facilities across the country. The disbursement was possible following approval by Chief Executive Dr. Victor Asare-Bampoe. The total payments made by the NHIA in the past seven months stand at over GH¢1.5 billion.

Out of the total amount, public health facilities received GH¢120,700,932.62, which constitutes 45 percent of the total. Private health facilities have been paid GH¢100,210,906.44, representing 37 percent of the total amount, while mission health facilities have been allotted GH¢446,761,808.96, which makes up 17 percent of the total funds.

For the authority, its significant disbursement demonstrates its unwavering commitment to sustaining the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and ensuring that healthcare providers are resourced and motivated to deliver quality services to our cherished members.

"The NHIA remains focused on improving efficiency, enhancing provider relations, and delivering on its mandate to ensure financial access to quality healthcare for all residents of Ghana. We thank our stakeholders for their continued support and assure the public of our dedication to transparency, accountability, and timely payments," the NHIA said in a statement.

The Authority has stated that it is firstly committed to strengthening internal controls and operational efficiencies to ensure the long-term sustainability of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

Two months ago, the Private Health Facilities Association of Ghana (PHFAoG) suspended health insurance services for National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) cardholders at all its member facilities, citing the National Health Insurance Authority's (NHIA) failure to settle outstanding claims.

In a statement signed by its President, Dr. Kwame Buabeng-Frimpong, on Friday, April 4, the association disclosed that the NHIA owed service providers for claims dating as far back as September and October 2024, despite multiple assurances.

The PHFAoG highlighted the severe financial strain the delays have placed on member facilities, making it increasingly difficult for them to deliver quality healthcare to NHIS beneficiaries.

The group also expressed disappointment that the NHIA had failed to honour its recent commitment to settle claims by the end of March, as outlined in a March 25, 2025, press release from the Authority.

The association has called for urgent intervention to resolve the impasse to ensure the continuity of health services for Ghanaians enrolled in the scheme.

Following the suspension, NHIA paid GH¢834 million to various healthcare providers across the country.

Presently, it is the aim of the Authority to restore public trust and confidence by reducing out-of-pocket payments through frequent tariff reviews, enhanced monitoring and public education, effective provider engagement, and stricter enforcement of NHIS policies.

Following this, President John Mahama has reiterated his administration’s commitment to ensuring equal access to healthcare for all. He intends to do this, using the NHIS citing it as one of the nation’s pathways to attain Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by 2030.

The President, in his opening remarks at the Africa Health Sovereignty Summit, held in Accra, said the government uncapped the National Health Insurance Levy, generating Ghs 3.5 billion, for broader health coverage.

The summit, held under the theme "The Accra Initiative, Africa Health Sovereignty in a Reimagined Global Health Architecture,” aimed at pushing for reforms in global health governance and highlighting national ownership, local investment, and stronger leadership in public health.

It brought together African Heads of State, health ministers, and global health leaders to discuss urgent reforms in the way health systems are governed and financed on the continent. The President cited other innovative healthcare initiatives, including the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, which mobilises public, private, and philanthropic capital to tackle chronic diseases. "The launch of the Primary Health Care Programme, slated for the coming months, will further enhance preventive care and community health," he added.

The Minister of Health, Mr. Kwabena Mintah-Akandoh, emphasized the importance of robust health systems in ensuring national stability and economic competitiveness, adding that the quality of our health systems determines whether pandemics destabilise us or whether we stand firm.

He highlighted Ghana's progress in healthcare, citing the NHIS, CHPS compounds, and investments in local pharmaceutical production as testaments to the country's commitment to finding African solutions to African problems.

Former President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo, urged African leaders to expand and enhance health insurance coverage, suggesting that 25% of health insurance funds could be used to manage health infrastructure.

The Director-General of WHO, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, praised Ghana's efforts in stepping up domestic investment in health, especially after Parliament passed reforms to increase funding for the National Health Insurance Scheme.

This action, he said, demonstrated what health sovereignty looked like, stressing that Africa did not lack capability, but rather needed fair terms and a stronger voice in shaping global health policies. “Africa does not need charity. Africa needs fair terms,” he reiterated.

The Chief Executive of NHIA, Dr. Victor Asare Bampoe, emphasised the significance of the uncapped NHIS fund, stressing that the additional funding will enable the NHIS to expand its coverage, reducing out-of-pocket expenses for Ghanaians and improving access to quality healthcare.

He underscored the need for efficient resource use and accountability, citing the Sustain model as a potential guide for their journey. Key outcomes of the summit included the endorsement of The Accra Initiative, the launch of the SUSTAIN Initiative to promote domestic health financing, and the formation of a Presidential High-Level Panel. The Accra Compact, a document outlining Africa’s unified vision for health sovereignty, was also adopted.