By Elsie Appiah-Osei
Accra, Feb. 11, GNA – Parliament on Tuesday approved a budget of GHC9.2 billion for the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) for the year 2026.
The Fund will be used to cover healthcare services for members of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
In addition, the NHIF is set to finance approved administrative expenses necessary for the efficient management and operation of the scheme.
The NHIF is the financial backbone of the NHIS in Ghana.
It is managed by the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) to ensure that citizens and residents have access to affordable healthcare services.
Parliament reported that the purpose of the Fund would be to finance healthcare services for members of the NHIS, covering consultations, treatments, medications, and medical procedures approved under the scheme.
“It will also support the operational and administrative costs of running the NHIS efficiently. It will provide financial sustainability for the NHIS, enabling long-term access to healthcare for all insured persons,” it said.
Among the funding sources of the Fund are government allocations, where Parliament approves annual budgets for the Fund; NHIS contributions, where premiums are paid by subscribers and registration fees; levies; certain taxes, such as the National Health Insurance Levy (NHIL), which contribute directly to the Fund; donor support; grants; and loans from international partners and development agencies.
The functions of the NHIF would be to pay healthcare providers for services rendered to insured members; cover administrative expenses of the NHIS, including staff salaries, operational costs, and technological systems; ensure financial protection for Ghanaians against high out-of-pocket healthcare costs; and support expansion of healthcare access across regions, including rural and underserved areas.
The impact of the Fund would be to provide affordable healthcare to millions of Ghanaians, reducing the financial burden of medical costs; help achieve universal health coverage (UHC), a key goal of Ghana’s health policy; and strengthen the healthcare system by ensuring timely payment to hospitals, clinics, and healthcare professionals.
GNA
Edited by Christabel Addo