“The NHIS has, in practice, become a co-payment insurance scheme, failing the very citizens it was meant to serve.”
The People’s National Party (PNP) is in opposition to the de facto co-payment system within the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
The PNP is advocating for equitable access to healthcare for all citizens, emphasising that health should never be contingent on the ability to pay.
This stance is essential for fostering a fair and just healthcare system that prioritises the well-being of every individual in society.
In a petition to President John Dramani Mahama, the PNP said the NHIS, which is the brainchild of Dr. Edward Nasigrie Mahama, a visionary physician who left his post at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital to pursue political leadership, was to abolish the cruel cash-and-carry system that was killing thousands of poor Ghanaians.
Citing a personal experience, Janet Asana Nabla, Chairperson and Leader of the PNP, who signed the petition, touched on the hardship ordinary Ghanaians face accessing the NHIS.
“The NHIS has, in practice, become a co-payment insurance scheme, failing the very citizens it was meant to serve,” she stated.
To ensure that the people benefit from the NHIS the PNP called on the government among others to urgently review the NHIS tariffs to match current market prices for consumables and services since outdated rates hinder quality healthcare delivery and fuel illegal co-payments.
The Party also called on the government to ensure that the NHIS reimburses service providers within one month, instead of the current three months, which are often not operational.
According to the PNP the current trajectory of the NHIS endangers lives and violates the social contract between government and citizens and called on the office of the president to act swiftly and decisively to restore dignity, trust, and equity to Ghana’s healthcare system.
Below is the People’s National Party’s (PNP) petition addressed to President Mahama:.
19th May, 2025
PETITION TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF GHANA
SUBJECT: THE DE FACTO CO-PAYMENT SYSTEM UNDER THE NHIS – A BETRAYAL OF THE ORIGINAL VISION
His Excellency,
President John Dramani Mahama
President of the Republic of Ghana,
Jubilee House,
Accra.
Dear Mr. President,
The People’s National Party (PNP) submits this urgent petition with deep concern regarding the current state of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), which has regrettably evolved into a co-payment system— a system that dangerously resembles the cash-and-carry era it was created to replace.
The NHIS was the brainchild of Dr. Edward Nasigrie Mahama, a visionary physician who left his post at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital to pursue political leadership. His mission was clear: to abolish the cruel cash-and-carry system that was killing thousands of poor Ghanaians. Although Dr. Mahama did not become President, his proposal for a national health insurance scheme was adopted by successive governments and implemented for the benefit of all Ghanaians.
Today, that legacy is being dismantled.
A recent personal experience exemplifies the hardship ordinary Ghanaians face: I sent a cousin to a government hospital, only to be charged GHS 1,636.40 for pharmacy services, lab tests, and basic consumables—despite the patient being an NHIS cardholder. This is not an isolated incident but a widespread reality that reflects a broken system. The NHIS has, in practice, become a co-payment insurance scheme, failing the very citizens it was meant to serve.
THE PNP DEMANDS:
- That the government, through the Ministry of Health and the NHIA, publicly admits that the NHIS is now functioning as a co-payment system.
- That immediate action be taken to:
– Restore the NHIS to its original intent—a genuinely free and accessible healthcare system for all.
– Provide all public hospitals and health centers with the logistics and medical resources necessary for uninterrupted service.
– Eliminate out-of-pocket payments for services that are supposed to be covered by NHIS.
– Investigate the root causes of these co-payment practices and ensure accountability.
OUR RECOMMENDATIONS
The People’s National Party (PNP) calls for urgent attention to the following:
– An urgent review of NHIS tariffs to match current market prices for consumables and services. Outdated rates hinder quality healthcare delivery and fuel illegal co-payments. This review is not just technical but a moral duty to save lives.
– The introduction of dedicated sin taxes on alcohol and cigarettes to generate additional revenue for the NHIS, apart from the 2.5% levy.
– Ensuring that the full 2.5% NHIS levy is paid directly and promptly into the NHIS account, as originally advised by Dr. Edward Nasigrie Mahama. This must not be reduced to mere lip service or partisan rhetoric; it is a crucial financial safeguard for the scheme’s sustainability.
– The government should ensure that NHIS reimburses service providers within one month, instead of the current three months, which are often not operational. Current delays force hospitals to charge patients illegally just to stay operational. Timely payments are key to ending co-payments and restoring faith in the system.
The current trajectory of the NHIS endangers lives and violates the social contract between government and citizens. We call on your office to act swiftly and decisively to restore dignity, trust, and equity to Ghana’s healthcare system.
PNP: My Family, My Community. My Motherland
Janet Asana Nabla
Chairperson and Leader
People’s National Party (PNP)
CC:
– Hon. Minister of Health
– CEO, National Health Insurance Authority
– The Media
Story: Lawal Mohammed
