Ministry of Health to Implement NHIS Policy for Foreigners from July 1

The Ministry of Health plans to introduce a national health insurance scheme for foreign visitors to Ghana on short-term stays, starting from July 1, 2024. Initially, the policy will focus on non-resident foreigners visiting the country for periods of less than six months within a 12-month period.

Created in collaboration with the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) and other stakeholders, the policy is titled “National Non-resident Visitors Health Insurance”.

During a media briefing prior to its rollout, key stakeholders such as the Ministry of Health (MOH), NHIA, and the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) participated.

This policy is in accordance with the National Health Insurance Act, 2012 (Act 852), which mandates the provision of high-quality and accessible healthcare for both residents and non-residents in Ghana through a national health insurance scheme. Its aim is to ensure fair access to healthcare services for all.

The policy consists of six tiers determined by the length of stay in Ghana. It specifically caters to foreigners holding visas, with provisions made for those who obtain visas upon arrival to ensure their inclusion in the scheme.

Currently, ECOWAS members are excluded from the policy, but efforts are underway to devise measures that will integrate them into the scheme in the future.

Under the leadership of Health Minister Dr. Agyeman Manu, the Ministry of Health launched the policy in February 2024. He emphasized that “The scheme will serve as the primary means for delivering comprehensive healthcare services to non-residents visiting Ghana.”

“Taking into consideration the peculiar characteristics and nature of the NNRVHIS, a special purpose arrangement may be required to minimize the potential for risks,” Dr Manu said.

“In line with this, a National Non-Resident Visitors Health Insurance Technology Platform (NNRVHITP) will be established to enable non-resident visitors to remotely log into a digital platform and apply accordingly in the comfort of their respective countries without challenges, thereby improving user experience.”