01/06/2026
Jamaican Delegation Visits NHIA to Explore Ghana’s Health Insurance Model
A delegation from Jamaica’s Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW), led by its Minister, Dr. Christopher Tufton, paid a working visit to Ghana’s National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) in Accra on Friday, May 29, 2026.
The visit formed part of a strategic bilateral partnership aimed at strengthening healthcare delivery systems through knowledge exchange and collaboration, while also understudying the operations and successes of Ghana’s National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
Although the official visit primarily focused on signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on healthcare cooperation and labour exchange to facilitate the temporary deployment of Ghanaian nurses and doctors to Jamaica, the delegation also used the opportunity to explore the study of Ghana’s National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to help inform Jamaica’s ongoing public health insurance reforms.
Speaking during the engagement, Dr. Tufton explained that the delegation’s visit to Ghana was centered on strengthening bilateral cooperation in healthcare and labour exchange between the two countries.
He noted that relations between the two countries had continued to strengthen over the years, citing Ghana’s support for Jamaica following a devastating hurricane last year, when Ghana deployed a team of army engineers to assist with recovery efforts.
Dr. Tufton said the partnership between the two countries would focus on the recruitment and deployment of Ghanaian healthcare professionals to Jamaica, alongside collaborations in training and healthcare systems strengthening.
Speaking on Jamaica’s interest in Ghana’s NHIS, the Jamaican Health Minister explained that although Jamaica currently operates a National Health Fund (NHF), the system differs from Ghana’s comprehensive health insurance model.
According to him, Jamaica’s NHF currently supports citizens with free or subsidised medication for about 28 categories of illnesses through public health institutions and accredited private pharmacies.
He stated that the NHF is expected to evolve into a full National Health Insurance Scheme, prompting Jamaican authorities to research sustainable healthcare financing models that could guide the transition.
Dr. Tufton noted that Jamaica operates both public and private healthcare systems with relatively low private insurance coverage, while public healthcare institutions provide free healthcare services to citizens.
“With that context, we are interested in understanding how Ghana’s National Health Insurance Scheme works and what lessons we can learn from it,” he said.
He expressed optimism about future engagements between Ghana’s NHIA and Jamaica’s health institutions, stressing that technology and virtual platforms would facilitate ongoing collaboration and knowledge sharing between the two countries.
The Deputy Chief Executive of Administration and Human Resources of the NHIA, Mr. Raphael Segkpeb, welcoming the delegation on behalf of the Chief Executive, Dr. Victor Asare Bampoe, highlighted Ghana’s healthcare financing journey, noting that the NHIS was introduced in 2003 to replace the “cash-and-carry” system where citizens paid directly for healthcare services at the point of access.
According to him, the Scheme initially focused largely on curative healthcare services but evolved over time following the realization that healthcare delivery must also prioritize preventive and promotive care.
He explained that Ghana recently launched the Free Primary Healthcare initiative to strengthen preventive healthcare and ensure early detection and treatment of ailments before they escalate into severe health conditions.
Mr. Segkpeb noted that the initiative would help reduce the country’s expenditure on curative healthcare in the long term, stressing that early access to healthcare improves health outcomes and reduces the overall disease burden.
He further stated that Ghana, like many middle-income countries, is increasingly dealing with the growing burden of non-communicable diseases, prompting the establishment of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, popularly known as “Mahama Care.”
According to him, the Fund was introduced to support the management of non-communicable diseases and to ease the financial pressure on the National Health Insurance Fund, ensuring the sustainability of the NHIS.
Mr. Segkpeb expressed optimism about future collaboration between Ghana and Jamaica, particularly in the areas of preventive and promotive healthcare.
He disclosed that the NHIA would work towards establishing ongoing engagement between the two institutions through virtual presentations and knowledge-sharing sessions to identify areas of mutual strength and cooperation for the benefit of both countries.
The Director of Strategic Health Purchasing at the NHIA, Dr. Ruby Aileen Mensah Annan, together with other directors present, gave an overview of the NHIS, including its structure, financing mechanisms, digital innovations, and operational strategies, which have positioned the Scheme as one of Africa’s notable public health insurance systems.
Source: Vivian Arthur
Photo: Barbara Aikins
Dr Victor Asare Bampoe
Dr. Kwesi Djokoto
Oswald Mensah
Faustina Dery