Dr. Da Costa Aboagye
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has appointed the Director of Health Promotion at Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr. Da Costa Aboagye, as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA).
He takes over from Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye, who has been nominated as Minister of Health.
The Secretary to the President, in a letter, explained that the appointment is pursuant to Section 14 (1) of the National Health Insurance Act, 2012 (Act 852).
According to him, Dr. Da Costa Aboagye’s appointment is “pending receipt of the constitutionally required advice of the governing board of the Authority given in consultation with the Public Services Commission.”
“Kindly indicate your acceptance or otherwise of this appointment within 14 days of receipt of this letter. Please accept the President’s best wishes,” portions of the letter dated February 26, 2024, said.
Dr. Aboagye’s qualifications include a PhD in National Health Insurance Scheme in Ghana (Research) from Leeds Beckett University (obtained in 2016), a Master’s degree in Public Health and Health Promotion in 2010 from the same university, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from the University of Cape Coast, 2006.
His other qualifications include a Higher National Certificate in Pharmacy Technology from the Kumasi Technical University obtained in 2002.
The 45-year-old national health insurance expert is currently serving as the Director of the Health Promotion Division at the Ghana Health Service, and brings to the table a wealth of experience in the fields of National Health Insurance Finance, Public Health, and Health Promotion.
He led Ghana’s risk communication efforts and was part of the presidential taskforce for the management of COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana from 2020 to 2023.
Prior to being appointed as the Director of Health Promotion, he was the cohort leader for Public Health and Health Promotion programme at the University of West London, United Kingdom and an external examiner on National Health Insurance Financing, Public Health and Health Promotion at both the University of Salford and London Metropolitan University.
Furthermore, within the ECOWAS community, he has the honour of chairing the Public Health Risk Communication and Community Engagement for Disease Control within the West Africa Health Organisation.
This role entails facilitating experience sharing, advocacy, learning, and promotion of better health through building stronger health systems across the 15 ECOWAS Member States towards achieving universal health coverage and sustainable development goals.
Additionally, he serves as the Chairman of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Public Health Risk Communication and Community Engagements Community of Practice for the 55 Member States, aimed at promoting best practices, health system strengthening including national health insurance finance, continuous learning and knowledge exchange in Africa.
A Daily Guide Report