The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) on Monday, June 8, 2026, received a delegation from Last Mile Health Ethiopia on a benchmarking visit aimed at learning from Ghana’s experience in financing and strengthening Primary Health Care (PHC) delivery and advancing Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

The delegation, led by the Managing Director of Operational Services at Last Mile Health Ghana, Ms. Naa Adorkor Yawson, sought insights into Ghana’s primary healthcare reforms, financing models, and strategies for expanding equitable access to healthcare services.

Receiving the delegation on behalf of the Deputy Chief Executive of Operations, Dr. Senanu Kwesi Djokoto, the Acting Director of Operations at the NHIA, Ms. Mariam Musah, welcomed the team and reaffirmed the Authority’s commitment to sharing best practices that support Universal Health Coverage across Africa.

In a presentation on financing Primary Health Care in Ghana, Ms. Musah outlined the country’s reform journey, tracing its origins to the 1978 Alma-Ata Declaration and subsequent policy developments that culminated in ongoing proposals for a Free Primary Health Care system.

She highlighted key milestones such as the establishment of the Ghana Health Service and the introduction of the Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) programme in the 1990s, which she said significantly improved access to healthcare at the community level through preventive and promotive services.

According to her, CHPS remains a key pillar of Ghana’s primary healthcare system, bringing essential services closer to households across the country.

Ms Musah also noted that the introduction of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in 2003 marked a major shift from the “cash-and-carry” system, which required out-of-pocket payments at the point of care.

She explained that the NHIS has expanded financial access to healthcare, with coverage currently estimated at about 66 per cent of the population and projected to reach nearly 70 per cent in the near term.

Despite these gains, she acknowledged persistent challenges, including gaps in equity, service availability, and financial protection, particularly for vulnerable populations who remain uninsured.

She further indicated that while the NHIS benefits package covers about 95 per cent of the national disease burden, some primary healthcare services and medicines are not consistently available at all levels of care.

She also cited the continued incidence of out-of-pocket payments and informal co-payments as ongoing concerns.

To address these challenges, Ms. Musah disclosed that Ghana is transitioning towards a Free Primary Health Care policy aimed at guaranteeing access to essential services regardless of NHIS membership.

She explained that the proposed policy will cover services such as maternal and child health care, malaria treatment, management of minor ailments, and treatment of chronic diseases including hypertension and diabetes at CHPS compounds and health centres.

According to her, the initiative is designed to remove financial barriers to primary healthcare while strengthening the use of existing health infrastructure, with the NHIA playing a central role in resource mobilisation and provider reimbursement.

The session also featured presentations on the NHIS Primary Health Care benefits package and reimbursement structures by Ms. Claudia Sowah, Manager at the Strategic Health Purchasing Directorate (SHPD), who outlined tariff arrangements and strategic purchasing mechanisms supporting service delivery.

In addition, Acting Director of Claims, Dr. Abigail Nyarko Codjoe Derkyi-Kwarteng, briefed the delegation on claims processing and reimbursement systems under the NHIS.

On the Ethiopian side, Senior Programme Coordinator at Last Mile Health Ethiopia, Mr. Tsega-Ab Abebaw, presented an overview of Ethiopia’s Primary Health Care system, highlighting achievements, challenges, and ongoing reforms to expand access to quality care.

Speaking on behalf of the delegation, Ms. Yawson expressed appreciation to the NHIA for the warm reception and detailed presentations.

She noted that the knowledge shared would contribute to strengthening Primary Health Care financing and delivery in Ethiopia.

She added that the visit had reinforced the importance of cross-country collaboration in advancing Universal Health Coverage across Africa and expressed optimism for continued partnerships between the two institutions.