Government has cleared all outstanding arrears owed to the country’s National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), totaling GHS 603 million as of December 2024, Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh said Friday.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series in Accra, Mr. Akandoh described the payment as a “major milestone” in the country’s healthcare financing framework and reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to timely disbursement of public health funds.
“This milestone demonstrates our commitment and the government’s steadfast dedication to timely payment and fulfilling our obligation in healthcare financing,” Mr. Akandoh said.
The health minister noted that no previous administration has disbursed funds from the consolidated fund to the NHIS more consistently than the current one, adding that transfers are now being made monthly—a practice he said improves financial predictability for healthcare providers.
“In the history of the NHIA, no government has paid or released money from the consolidated funds to the National Health Insurance Fund more promptly than this government,” he added.
In addition to clearing the arrears, the National Health Insurance Authority disbursed over GHS 1.38 billion to healthcare providers in the first half of 2025 alone, according to Mr. Akandoh. The figures reflect a more responsive and stabilized system, he said, as the government works to strengthen the country’s public health infrastructure.
The NHIS was established in 2003 to improve access to affordable healthcare, but has long struggled with delayed reimbursements to providers, prompting periodic criticism from the medical community. The recent clearance of arrears may offer some relief to hospitals and clinics facing liquidity challenges, especially in rural areas.
