Ghana's NHIS is a shining model in Africa - Gambia’s Health Minister

Gambia’s Health Minister, Dr. Ahmadou Lamin Samateh says there is no doubt about Ghana's National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) often recognised as a shining model in Africa.

He extolled the NHIS  when he led a delegation to the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Head Office in Accra on a study tour.

He said the Gambia was in the process of implementing its Health Insurance Scheme and needed direction from Ghana's perspective. 

In his words, Ghana's experience will strengthen the implementation of Gambia's proposed Health Insurance Scheme, with a Draft Bill under scrutiny.

Dr. Ahmadou Lamin Samateh believed the interactive forum served as an eye-opener to make their proposed Health Insurance Scheme functional.

The delegation was gratified by presentations on the Overview of the NHIS, Membership Management, Benefits Management, Quality Assurance Systems, and Claims Management.

The NHIA's Deputy Chief Executive in charge of Operations, Mrs. Vivian Addo-Cobbiah applauded the study tour and pledged the Authority’s technical support to the Gambian health ministry.

She said the NHIA was on the path of attaining Universal Health Coverage (UHC), as 53% of Ghana's population are active members of the NHIS database.

Mrs. Vivian Addo-Cobbiah affirmed that the NHIS will continue to expand its operations to attract other neighbours in the Sub-Region.

The study tour offered the delegation the opportunity to exchange ideas on health-related issues and learned at first hand the operations and matters affecting the sustainability of the NHIS. 

Since the NHIS's inception, there have been several delegations from Nigeria, Mali, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Burkina Faso, Madagascar, Niger, Cote D'Ivoire, and Mauritania.