In a letter of support to PharmAccess, the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) of Ghana has expressed their willingness to extend their collaboration with the foundation for the next five years.

The NHIA is mandated to ensure the sustainability of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). In the letter they express their hope that this will lead to a continuation of  the success of the program and will translate into further technical cooperation between the two institutions.

PharmAccess’ association with Ghana began with the country’s bold decision in 2005 to introduce health insurance on a national scale within a ten year time frame. It’s the first plan of its kind in sub Saharan Africa and demonstrates the government’s commitment to making better health care available to its 23 million inhabitants.

Since the rollout began, PharmAccess has been offering technical assistance in the areas of claim management and quality assessments to the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). This involved the customisation of assessment software and tools to evaluate hospitals, clinics and health posts in the areas of assets, skills and process. Training was also given to assessors on how to use evaluation equipment and the different checks and balances that are required for the collation of data.

As of this year, all health facilities that provide services under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) are obliged to undergo assessments to determine the overall quality of their facility and the level of health services. The accreditation program has provoked health service providers to look more closely at their quality and level of services and to improve areas that are lacking.

Already about 15 million people are part of the program and more than 2500 health care facilities that have offer acceptable standards of health care are accredited to participate in the scheme.

Click here for a letter of recommendation PharmAccess received from the NHIA.