THE MINISTER of Health, Kwaku Agyeman- Manu, has inaugurated the board of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) with a charge for members to support the operations of the authority towards achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by 2030.
The board is chaired by Dr. Ernest K.P. Kwarko, an Obstetrician Gynaecologist with the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital while members include Kwabena Boadu Oku-Afari, Chief Director Ministry of Health, Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, Director-General Ghana Health Service, Dr. Justice Ofori, National Insurance Commission and Elizabeth Aggrey-Ampiah, Social Security and National Insurance Trust.
Other members of the board are Kwasi Asante, Accountancy and Finance expert, Samuel Erickson Abakah, a Legal Practitioner, Professor Christian Agyare and Dr. Isaac Charles Noble Morrison from the Pharmacy and Medical/Dental profession respectively.
Also sworn-in were Chief Executive of NHIA, Dr. Lydia Dsane-Selby, Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye, a former Deputy Minister of Health and a health professional; Dr. Sylvester Yaw Oppong, Health Professional, Odeneho Akosua Fema Dwabeng II, and Joyce Konokie Zempare, both from the National Health Insurance Scheme.
Mr. Agyeman-Manu, in his speech, said the NHIA board members are drawn from various bodies as spelt out in section three (3) of the National Health Insurance Act 2012 (ACT 852).
He tasked the board to develop an action plan to accelerate registration of new members onto the scheme to ensure every Ghanaian is captured under the NHIS.
The board members pledged to devise strategic and innovative ways of sustaining the scheme and to resolve challenges pertaining to payments to service providers.
Speaking on behalf of the newly sworn-in board, the chairman, Dr. Ernest K.P. Kwarko, expressed his appreciation for the confidence reposed in the team and pledged to work assiduously to make the NHIS a formidable Health Insurance Scheme.
He indicated that each member of the board possesses unique talent that will be harnessed to drive the scheme towards its expected success.