The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) will roll out a Visitor Health Insurance Scheme (VHIS), effective July 1, 2024.
Details
The new scheme will require non-residents on a visit to Ghana to sign onto a health insurance scheme that will cover them during the period of stay in the country.
Non-residents were defined as persons living in the country for a period less than six months and a total period of 12 months.
The policy would be backed by the Ministry of Health while various Ghanaian consular missions abroad would also help with the implementation of the policy.
Between The Lines
The policy would be compulsory and non resident visitors would pay a fee between $45 and $270 before being admitted into Ghana.
What They’re Saying
Dr Inua Yusuf, Head of Legal, Ministry of Health, said the policy would be applied based on “what the [Ghana] law defines as non-resident”.
“…It is all about health, in case you [a visitor] bought an insurance policy and had any medical condition, which is not a chronic medical condition, you will be covered,” he stated.
“It has taken us several years to implement this project so we want to start gradually. We are tying the (VHIS) to visa issuance, and we are working closely with the Immigration Service and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs…We are starting with people coming into the country with a foreign passport,” he stated.
The Big Picture
A National Non-Resident Visa Insurance Technology platform, designed through a private-public partnership, would enable visitors to register and buy the insurance policy from healthcare service providers in the country, adding that there would be terms and conditions for subscribers of the VHIS.
Catch up on news and other tidbits on our WhatsApp Community Page, Twitter/X, and subscribe to our weekly newsletter to ensure you don’t miss out on any news.
