Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye, Minister of Health, has made it clear that the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) is proposing mandatory health insurance for non-resident visitors; the cabinet has not yet taken a position on this proposal.
Prior to their admittance into Ghana, foreign nationals arriving in Ghana on July 1, 2024, are expected to purchase a mandatory health insurance policy costing between $45 and $270.
The Ministry of Health did, however, clarify in a press release dated June 18, 2024, signed by Health Minister Dr. Bernard Okoe, that the “recent announcement regarding mandatory health insurance policy for non-resident visitors is a proposal from the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) and not a policy of the government.”
Although the proposal seeks to guarantee foreign nationals’ access to healthcare while they are in Ghana, it is crucial to remember that Cabinet has not yet reviewed or authorised it.
The Health Minister’s statement said, “We urge the public to disregard any misinformation that may suggest that the policy has been finalised and its mode of implementation settled.”
The Health Minister’s statement went on, “We assure the public that any policy and its implementation shall be thoroughly scrutinised and taken through all necessary protocols to establish its benefits for the people of Ghana before being settled upon.”