The Chief Executive of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Dr Victor Asare Bampoe, has opened a new district office for the Kintampo South District in the Bono East Region as part of efforts to strengthen Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
The facility, located at Jema, is expected to provide a more conducive working environment for staff while bringing National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) registration, renewal, education and other services closer to residents.
At a brief ceremony on Tuesday, Dr Bampoe thanked President John Dramani Mahama, the Ministers of Health and Finance, and the NHIA Board for providing resources to retool the NHIS and improve its operations nationwide.
He explained that the Kintampo South District Office was carved out of the Kintampo North District Office in 2006 following population growth and the need to decentralise NHIS services.
According to him, the office, which started with seven staff, now has 17 staff, in addition to four contract workers responsible for security and cleaning services.
Dr Bampoe said the growth in staffing reflected the expanding responsibilities of the office and the NHIS’s increasing efforts to respond to the healthcare needs of residents.
He said Kintampo South was making progress towards UHC, with NHIS coverage increasing from 74.33 per cent to 77.34 per cent, bringing the district closer to the national target of 80 per cent.
The NHIA Chief Executive also highlighted the increase in indigent membership, which rose from 4,401 in 2024 to 18,139 in 2026.
He described the development as encouraging, particularly in ensuring that vulnerable people are included in the national health insurance system.
Dr Bampoe further highlighted the Pulpit Initiative, which will establish NHIS-branded customer service desks at high-volume health facilities to provide members with information, guidance and assistance.
He reminded NHIS members that they should not be subjected to illegal charges or top-ups for services covered by the scheme and urged the public to become more aware of their rights.
Dr Bampoe also urged staff to ensure that the new facility translates into improved services and a better experience for NHIS members.
“A building like this one does not deliver healthcare. People, systems and commitment do,” he said.
The Bono East Regional Director of the NHIA, Kingsford Gyamfi Opoku, said the office had operated from rented premises since its establishment in 2006, making administrative work difficult for staff.
He expressed appreciation to the NHIA Executive Management for completing the new facility and described the development as a significant transformation for the district office.
Mr Gyamfi Opoku also commended the Authority for providing boat services to Sene East and Sene West, which have enabled NHIS members living on islands and communities across the water to access services more easily.
He, however, appealed for an additional operational vehicle for the Regional Office, which supervises more than 200 healthcare facilities but currently has one vehicle.
The Bono East Regional Minister, Francis Owusu Antwi, commended the NHIA and the government for the project and urged residents to take ownership of the facility to ensure its sustainability.
The Kintampo South District Chief Executive, Wilfred Zuuri, also pledged the Assembly’s continued cooperation with the NHIA.
The ceremony was chaired by the Jemahene and Kyidomhene of the Nkoranza Traditional Council, Nana Amponsah Gyan II, and attended by traditional and religious leaders, healthcare providers, security personnel, education authorities and other stakeholders.
Senior NHIA officials present included the Director of Administration, Raymond Avinu; Director of Corporate Affairs, Oswald Essuah-Mensah; Executive Assistant to the Chief Executive, Nina Buabeng Asamoah; Deputy Director of Administration, Louis Lawerteh; Bono Regional Director, Isaac Badu Amponsah; Facilities Manager, Charles Odamtten; and other managers and staff from Kintampo South and North.
Earlier, Dr Bampoe and his delegation paid a courtesy call on the Paramount Chief of the Sunyani Traditional Area, Odeefour Ogyeamansan Boahen Korkor II, a former NHIS staff member.
The visit was to congratulate the Paramount Chief on his induction into the Bono Regional House of Chiefs and seek his blessings and guidance for NHIS operations.
Odeefour Ogyeamansan Boahen Korkor II commended Dr Bampoe for his work, particularly efforts to ensure prompt payment of claims, and appealed for further decentralisation and expansion of NHIS services in Sunyani.
He also offered one acre of land to support the establishment of a Claims Processing Centre in Sunyani and called for greater recognition of long-serving NHIS staff
