A delegation from Rwanda’s National Pharmacy Council (NPC- Rwanda) has paid a courtesy call on the management of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) in Accra.
The leader of the team and Permanent Secretary & Registrar (NPC- Rwanda), Dr. Jean Damascene Nsengeyukurl said the team was in the country on a best practices tour of Ghana’s healthcare system and to learn firsthand the operations of the Authority as the regulator of public and private health insurance in the country.
The CEO of the NHIA Dr. Okoe Boye who welcomed the group said that Ghana’s National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) has received lots of support from the government which has contributed positively to its operations. He added that one of such support is the Vice President’s digitization agenda, which has improved claims management, mobile renewal service and availability of drugs at NHIS credentialed pharmacies.
The Deputy Chief Executive in charge of Operations Mrs. Addo-Cobbiah outlined the core operations of the NHIS to the delegation. She noted that the mandate of the NHIS is to provide equitable access and financial coverage for basic health care services to Ghanaian citizens. As a result, the Scheme has Regional and District offices, which serve as supervisory units for NHIS credentialed health facilities across the country, which helps to enhance the operations of the Scheme.
On claims management, Mrs. Addo-Cobbiah mentioned that the digitization drive, pursued by the Authority has greatly improved the claims management process, making it a faster and more efficient way to deal with claims backlog as well as vetting the right claims submitted by credentialed health facilities.
Speaking on behalf of the team, Dr. Jean Damascene Nsengeyukurl expressed his gratitude to the management of the NHIA for the warm reception accorded to them. He described the Ghanaian healthcare system as one worthy of emulation and commended the Government for the various interventions that have led to the sustenance of the NHIS over the years.
In attendance were Dr. Daniel Amaning Danquah; Deputy Registrar, Pharmacy Council of Ghana, Dr. Ernest Kwarko, the Board Chair of the NHIA, Dr. Okoe Boye, CEO of NHIA, Mrs. Yaa Poakuaa Baiden, Deputy CEO, Admin/HR, Mrs. Vivian Addo-Cobbiah, Deputy CEO for Operations and Mrs. Francis Owusu, Deputy CEO for Finance/Investments.