The Ministry of Health (MOH) in collaboration with the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) and Partners have launched a National NonResident Visitors Health Insurance Policy (NNRVHIP) in Accra, GNA reports.
The Policy is expected to promote, improve, and maintain good health for all non-resident visitors in Ghana through health insurance.
The NHIA by its mandate is expected to ensure equitable access to healthcare for all persons including persons non-resident in the country but who are on visits to the country.
Mr Ernest Kwarko, Board Chairman, NHIA, said despite the Authority’s significant strides in expanding coverage for persons resident in the country, there was a gap with the provision of healthcare services for non-resident visitors in the country as required by law.
He said the introduction of the mandatory scheme for non-resident visitors underscored the commitment to providing quality healthcare services to every individual, regardless of their socio-economic status.
He said: “Healthcare is a fundamental human right and it is our collective responsibility to ensure that no one is left behind due to lack of access to essential medical services. With the launch of this scheme, we are taking a bold step forward in fulfilling this obligation and building a healthier and more prosperous society.”
Professor Francis Kasolo, Country Director of, the World Health Organisation (WHO), said Policy was a testament to the commitment made by the Government and its partners to ensure that every individual living within the country’s borders had access to affordable and comprehensive health services.
Prof. Kasolo said the Policy would provide a safety net for non-resident populations, enabling them to seek timely and appropriate healthcare services without fear or financial hardship, adding that, it would also bridge the gap in health disparities and contribute to the overall health and well-being of the entire population.
The Country Director said the non-resident population often faced unique challenges in accessing healthcare services due to language barriers, lack of familiarity with the local healthcare system and limited financial resources, hence, the need to work together to address such challenges while promoting health equity for all.
Mr Kwaku Agyeman Manu, Health Minister, said the development of the Policy was timely as the Ministry was currently implementing a Universal Health Coverage
Roadmap (2020 – 2030), which defines UHC for Ghana as “all people in Ghana have timely access to high-quality health services irrespective of their ability to pay at the point of use.
“Our bid to achieve UHC for the people of Ghana, will not be complete if the health needs of non-resident visitors are not addressed,” he said.
He explained that recent emergence and re-emergence of pandemics had more than ever put the health of migrants at a greater risk, saying “There is therefore an urgent need to introduce policy interventions that ensures access to high quality healthcare services to non-resident visitors.”
Mr Agyeman Manu said that the introduction of initiatives such as the Migration for Development in Africa, the year of return, had promoted migration whether temporarily or permanently.
“The Year of Return saw 1.5 million people travel to Ghana and other African nations, what this means is that as a country, we need to consider this important population in our planning,” he added.
The Policy was specifically designed for non-residents who would be visiting Ghana for less than six months in any period of 12 months.
According to the Ministry, a Technology platform would be established to enable non-resident visitors to remotely log into a digital platform and apply accordingly in the comfort of their respective countries without challenges, thereby improving user experience.
The Health Minister said that the policy is not merely a document but a powerful declaration of intent and clarion call for collective action to ensure the achievement of UHC come 2030.
Ministry of Health (MOH)