Dr Da Costa Aboagye
In a groundbreaking move, the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has developed a pioneering strategy to tackle noncommunicable diseases, which has caught the attention of international health experts.
The Chief Executive Officer of NHIA, Dr Da Costa Aboagye revealed on the Asaase Breakfast Show that the “Preventive Promotive Approach” was born out of a review of the National Health Insurance Scheme’s (NHIS) cost burden, which identified diabetes and hypertension as the primary drivers of expenditure.
According to him, “We had to come up with a strategy to reduce these noncommunicable diseases,” Aboagye explained.
“So, we developed the ‘Preventive Promotive Approach,’ which gives every Ghanaian the opportunity to check their vitals at least once a year.”
This innovative approach has already attracted interest from global health giants, including the World Bank and the National Health Service (NHS) of England.
“The World Bank has invited me to present at various programs, and I met with NHS England last week, which has expressed interest in investing in this initiative,” Aboagye disclosed.
The NHIA CEO hailed the approach as transformative for Ghana’s healthcare system, enabling early disease detection, increasing life expectancy, and paving the way for universal health coverage.
–BY Daniel Bampoe