The new board members with Vice President Bawumia
A 17-member board of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) appointed by President Akufo-Addo has been inaugurated, with a call on them to save and resuscitate the scheme.
Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, inaugurating the board, tasked them to use their experience and expertise to prevent the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) from heading towards a cash-and-carry regime.
He stressed that the board members had been carefully selected based on their expertise, and urged them to endeavour to live up to the task so that the president’s vision would be realised.
The vice president charged them to ensure that the NHIS is better managed to deliver improved healthcare services to all Ghanaians in order to redeem it from the challenges it faced in recent times.
Dr Bawumia stated that the board has a responsibility to chart a policy direction that would recommend the decisions that government must take to improve the NHIS.
He mentioned that President Akufo-Addo has a clear vision for healthcare, stressing that the government would ensure that resources are made available and is properly spent for the benefit of patients.
Board Members
The members of the board include Professor Yaw Adu-Gyamfi, Chairman; Ms Lydia Lariba Bawa, National Insurance Commissioner; Mr Kwasi Ampadu-Kissi, representing the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), Dr Isaac Charles Noble Morrison, representing the Medical and Dental Council; Professor Christian Agyare, a representative from the pharmacy profession and Mr Kwasi Asante from the accountancy profession.
The rest are Ms Abena Osei-Asare from the Ministry of Finance, Dr Anthony Nsiah-Asare from the Ghana Health Service, Madam Anna Pearl Akiwumi-Siriboe, a legal practitioner; Dr Nicholas Ankomah Tweneboa and Vahandi-Naa Dr Mohammed Nantogmah Mahama, both health professionals, and Rev Richard Kwasi Yeboah, representing organised labour.
Others members are Dr Sylvester Yaw Oppong, Madam Joyce Zimpare, both of whom are government representatives; Dr Samuel Yaw Annor, Chief Executive Officer of the NHIA; Mr Kingsley Aboagye-Gyedu, representing the Ministry of Health and Dr Dennis Addo from the Department of Social Welfare.
Prof Adu-Gyamfi, on behalf of the board members, thanked President Akufo-Addo for their appointments and pledged to work to help the president accomplish his vision for the scheme.
“We promise not to disappoint the nation,” he assured.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri