The Minister of Health, Dr. Bernard Okoe-Boye, has announced that a total of 5,885,583 National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) cards have been successfully linked to the Ghana Card as of February 2024.

This milestone, he explained, is part of a broader initiative to streamline healthcare services and enhance data integration in support of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

Speaking at a press conference, Dr. Okoe-Boye emphasized the importance of this development, noting that the linkage would strengthen the national health database and ensure better healthcare delivery.

"As of February 2024, 5,885,583 NHIS cards have been linked to the Ghana Card," he stated, highlighting the government's commitment to achieving UHC through strategic policies.

Ghana’s UHC roadmap, implemented in 2020 and running until 2030, aims to ensure universal access to quality healthcare services for all citizens. The roadmap aligns with the country’s National Health Policy (2019), which focuses on strengthening healthcare systems, expanding public health interventions, and improving service availability through community health initiatives.

The objectives of UHC, as outlined by Dr. Okoe-Boye, include providing universal access to better-managed quality healthcare services, reducing preventable maternal, adolescent, and child deaths, and increasing access to emergency public health services. The ongoing NHIS-Ghana Card integration is a key step in achieving these goals.

On September 7, 2023, the Ministry of Health launched the National Health Database and the Health Facilities Regulatory Authority’s (HeFRA) Digitised Health Facility Assessment Platform. These initiatives aim to improve data accessibility within the healthcare sector, further enhancing efforts to meet UHC targets.

As of March 2024, a total of 17,918,135 Ghanaians had registered for the Ghana Card since mass registration began in April 2019. In addition, Joseph Annor, Deputy Director of the Information Management System at the NHIA, revealed that 30 million Ghanaians were enrolled in the NHIS as of July 2024.

Per reports, nearly $30 million is being saved each year by the various state institutions that have successfully integrated their systems with the National Identification Authority (NIA) database.

The savings are being made from the absence of the procurement of new equipment, non-printing of new sector-specific cards and non-duplication of services as the Ghana Card now serves as the sole identity for health insurance, social security, taxation and business transactions.

Dr. Okoe-Boye also announced that GHC 135.6 million had been disbursed to healthcare providers for NHIS claims for February and March 2024. This payment ensures that healthcare providers continue to deliver essential services to patients covered under the scheme.

In a significant policy shift, the Ministry of Health is preparing to integrate major herbal medicines into the NHIS, providing patients with alternative treatment options alongside conventional medicine.

"Not all herbal medicines are dangerous because some have gone through scientific processes and have been approved for use," the Minister explained.

Mental health treatments and related medications are also set to be included in the scheme, further expanding the scope of services covered by NHIS.

Ghana is making strides toward achieving Universal Health Coverage by 2030, ensuring that citizens have access to affordable and quality healthcare services.