Parliament has approved GH¢10.10 billion for the year 2025 along with a distribution formula to enable the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) to undertake its activities earmarked for the year.
The amount is almost GH¢4 billion more than the GH¢6.87 billion that was allocated to the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) for its programmes and activities for last year.
The increase has been made possible due to the uncapping of the NHIF by the current government.
The approval followed a closed-door meeting the Committee of the Whole had with officials of the NHIA, led by the acting Chief Executive Officer, Dr Victor Asare Bampoe, during which the House approved the proposed formula for disbursement of the NHIF for 2025.
The proposed formula was presented to Parliament and the Speaker of Parliament referred it to the Committee of the Whole for consideration and report.
Support for dialysis
Per the approved formula, GH¢2 million will go to support needy patients, below 18 years and above 60 years, suffering from kidney diseases and undergoing dialysis treatment.
Besides, GH¢6.56 billion, representing 65.1 per cent, will be allocated for payment of claims in 2025, GH¢1.23 billion, representing 12.3 per cent, will support NHIA operational expenses, GH¢124 million will support NHIA district offices and GH¢984 million will support the Ministry of Health.
Besides, GH¢125 million will be used as support for district health projects, GH¢188 million for biometric ID cards and authentication system while GH¢111 million will be for claims processing centres, among others.
Speaking to the press after the meeting, the Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, said the increase in budget allocation to the NHIA was in fulfillment of the promise President John Dramani Mahama made to uncap the NHIF in the 2025 budget.
He said in 2024, the amount the formula allocated was around GH₵6 billion and as a result of the uncapping, GH₵10 billion had been allocated to the Fund.
Mr Akandoh said the difference would cater for about three main items, including free primary healthcare, to fill the huge funding gap due to withdrawal of donor support to the health sector.
The other area is support for the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, known as the Mahama Cares initiative.
Under the free primary healthcare, he said any Ghanaians who fell sick could seek free medical treatment in any health centre.
On the withdrawal of the support by the country’s donor partners, such as the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), he said it had created a huge funding gap in the health sector.
“Therefore, revenue to be generated as a result of uncapping the NHIF will go to fill the gap,” the Health Minister said.
Mr Akandoh said a percentage would finance the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, Mahama Cares initiative.
Funding dialysis treatment
He recalled that in the 2024 formula, the government allocated GH₵2 million for dialysis treatment of people with renal issues below the age of 18 years and above the age of 60 years, would be taken care of by the NHIF.
“That formula died on December 31, 2024; so, beyond that there was no policy in place for dialysis. Now, with this formula what we have done is to include dialysis as part of the benefit package of the National Health Insurance Scheme just like malaria or any other disease.
“So, the policy direction is that we are going to fund the dialysis issues in this country,” he said.
That notwithstanding, Mr Akandoh said, Mahama Cares would be dedicated to chronic non-communicable diseases.
“And so any of these diseases that have not been captured by NHIF will then be captured by the Mahama Cares because we all know that about 45 per cent of our mortality is attributable to the non-communicable diseases, and as a country, we need to urgently find a solution to it, especially at this critical time where our donor partners are withdrawing their funds,” Mr Akandoh stated.
