By Godwill Arthur-Mensah
Accra, May 30, GNA – The Parliament of Ghana has endorsed the funding formula for the year 2025 dedicated to the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF). They have allocated 10 billion Ghanaian cedis towards this fund.
The NHIF offers financial support for the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), which is a social initiative aimed at ensuring that all Ghanaians have access to healthcare services.
The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), which oversees the management of the NHIF, is responsible for ensuring that all citizens receive proper care through the NHIS program.
The suggested distribution for the fund allocation is outlined below: GHc6.5 billion (representing 65.1%) will be designated for claims from 2025, GHc1.2 billion (or 12.3%) will cover operational costs for the National Health Insurance Authority, GHc124 million (which accounts for 1.2%) will go towards supporting district offices under the National Health Insurance Scheme, and finally, GHc984 million has been earmarked for the Ministry of Health, constituting 9.8%.
Speaking to the press at Parliament House in Accra on Friday, Health Minister Mr Kwabena Mintah Akandoh stated that since GH₵6 billion was designated for the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) in 2024, increasing the funding to GH₵10 billion this year would lead to enhanced resource allocation.
The Minister stated that because of the removal of caps on the NHIF within the 2025 budget, surplus funds would be allocated towards enhancing primary healthcare services. These resources will also address the funding shortfall resulting from the cessation of donor aid for the health sector. Additionally, some portion of these funds will contribute to bolstering the Ghana Trust Fund, commonly referred to as ‘Mahama Care’.
Mr. Akandoh mentioned that in addition to the previously discussed allocations, the NHIF would also provide funding for dialysis treatments through the NHIS.
The government under Mahama had implemented a policy framework for dialysis treatment within the nation, as mentioned by the Minister.
Mr. Akandoh pointed out that current data indicated that 45 percent of deaths in the nation were due to non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Consequently, the Mahama Care program will offer financial support for managing chronic NCDs such as strokes and renal infections.
The National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) receives funding from three main sources: the National Health Insurance Levy (NHIL), contributions from the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), and profits generated from the fund’s investments.
The NHIF guarantees that the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), set up by the government in 2003, offers Ghanaian citizens financial accessibility to high-quality healthcare services.
GNA
Linda Asante Agyei
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