The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) is concluding its nationwide professional development programme for Public Relations Officers (PROs) and District Managers, with the final phase taking place in the five regions of northern Ghana.
The training programme, which began on October 12, 2026, is aimed at strengthening the Authority’s communication capacity and improving public understanding of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
The final phase commenced on Monday, November 9, 2026, in Tamale, the Northern Regional capital, following the successful training of officers in the other 15 regions.
Participants have been divided into two groups, with each group undertaking a two-day training session.
The sessions cover strategic communication, media relations, digital engagement, news reporting, feature writing, photography, crisis communication, brand management and effective engagement with NHIS members and healthcare providers.
The programme is also designed to equip officers with the skills to communicate NHIA policies effectively, report accurately on the Authority’s activities and improve public understanding of the Scheme.
Speaking at the opening of the first training session in Tamale, the Head of Corporate Communication, Faustina Dery, said the training reflected Executive Management’s commitment to strengthening public confidence in the NHIS and ensuring its sustainability.
She explained that Management was pursuing several measures to improve the Scheme, including ending illegal charges for services already covered by the NHIS, ensuring realistic service tariffs and making monthly reimbursements of vetted claims.
According to her, despite regular claims reimbursements and a recent 50 per cent upward adjustment in service tariffs, some healthcare providers continued to charge members illegally for services covered by the Scheme.
She said the situation had prompted Executive Management to declare a campaign against the practice under the theme, “Zero Tolerance for Illegal Charges”.
Madam Dery identified PROs and District Managers as key ambassadors of the campaign because of their direct engagement with healthcare providers and NHIS members.
She urged the officers to intensify public education on members’ rights and encourage those who are wrongfully charged to report such incidents to the Authority.
She noted that members who understood their rights were better positioned to challenge illegal charges and seek refunds where necessary.
However, she stressed that the NHIA’s objective went beyond securing refunds for affected members, saying the priority was to prevent illegal charges from occurring in the first place.
Madam Dery said PROs and District Managers had a responsibility to engage healthcare providers on the implications of breaching their contractual obligations with the NHIA by charging members unauthorised fees.
She warned that such practices undermined the Scheme and eroded public confidence, ultimately affecting members, healthcare providers and other stakeholders.
“I bring you greetings from our Champion CEO and his Executive Management.
This training is very important to Management because, as we all know, our CEO has declared a war on illegal charges, and we, the PROs and District Managers, are key ambassadors of the war through our messaging and stakeholder engagements because you are closer to our members and providers,” she said.
She added that effective communication was essential to protecting and sustaining the NHIS, describing it as a critical component of every institution’s operations.
According to her, the Authority needed officers who could provide accurate and timely information to counter misinformation about the Scheme.
She cited instances where claims that the NHIA had failed to pay healthcare providers or did not cover certain services and medicines gained traction, even when such claims were inaccurate.
“If we don’t give out the right information, on time and frequently, we leave our members with no choice but to be misinformed, and these are some of the wrongs we want to right by building your capacity so you can do what you do better,” she said.
The nationwide programme is being implemented under the guidance of the Director of Corporate Affairs, Oswald Essuah-Mensah, and was initiated and executed by the Communications Unit, led by Madam Dery.
It has the support of the NHIA’s Executive Management, led by Chief Executive Dr Victor Asare Bampoe.
The initiative forms part of Management’s efforts to equip staff with the knowledge, skills and tools needed to perform their duties effectively and contribute to the Authority’s organisational objectives.
The NHIA expects the enhanced communication skills of its frontline officers to improve stakeholder engagement, strengthen public education and support efforts to protect the credibility and sustainability of the National Health Insurance Scheme.
