The Chief Executive Officer of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Dr Victor Asare Bampoe, has warned credentialed health facilities against charging National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) members unauthorised fees for services covered by the scheme.
He said facilities and individuals found engaging in the practice would face sanctions, describing illegal charges as one of the major challenges undermining the NHIS and eroding public confidence.
Speaking at a staff durbar in Ho on October 29, 2026, Dr Bampoe stressed that it was unacceptable for Ghanaians to pay out of pocket for healthcare services already covered by their insurance.
He said the Authority was determined to take decisive action against facilities that demanded additional payments from members.
“We are not going to give anybody any quarter because, under the directive of the Board of Directors of the NHIA and the Minister, we are taking a different turn. So, let us be advised,” he warned.
Dr Bampoe noted that the government continued to commit significant resources to the NHIS, largely through taxpayers’ contributions, and said beneficiaries must receive the services for which the scheme pays.
“It is not fair that the Ghanaian taxpayer, upon whose sweat we obtain the resources to carry out our work, will have to visit a health facility and still put their hands into their pockets to pay,” he said.
He cautioned staff and other stakeholders who were directly or indirectly involved in unauthorised payments, urging them to desist from the practice.
On behalf of the NHIA Board and Executive Management, Dr Bampoe commended the Volta Regional team for its membership mobilisation efforts, which had covered more than 80 per cent of the region’s estimated population.
He encouraged staff to sustain the progress to ensure that more residents could access quality healthcare without financial barriers.
The CEO disclosed that the NHIA currently operated offices in 13 of the region’s 18 districts.
He said the Authority intended to establish offices in the remaining five districts, subject to approval by the Board, to achieve full regional coverage.
The Volta Regional Director, Ms Sussan Chobbah, reported that the region was on course to meet its membership targets for 2026.
She said the region’s projected population for the year stood at approximately 1.48 million, while active NHIS membership had reached 1,424,834 as of October 28, representing 80.9 per cent of the annual target.
Although the year had not ended, she noted that the region’s performance had already surpassed its figures for the previous year.
Dr Bampoe also expressed concern over reports that some district managers and staff at the regional office were undermining the authority of the Volta Regional Director.
He warned that anyone found disrespecting or attempting to undermine the Regional Director would face disciplinary action.
“It is not about her, but about the office she holds,” he said, urging staff to respect established reporting lines and organisational structures.
The Chairman of the NHIA Board of Directors, Mr Larry Adjetey, supported the CEO’s concerns about illegal charges and claims fraud, describing both practices as major threats to the sustainability of the scheme.
He said the NHIS was established to reduce inequalities in healthcare access and ensure that healthcare remained a right rather than a privilege.
“The financial burden of illness has pushed some families into poverty, while inequitable access to healthcare has perpetuated disparities that can no longer be tolerated.
The NHIS was established precisely to address these challenges and bridge the gap,” he said.
Mr Adjetey said claims fraud and unauthorised charges were undermining the objectives of the scheme and called on staff to support management’s efforts to restore public confidence.
He also congratulated the Volta Regional team on its membership mobilisation performance.
Ms Chobbah disclosed that the Volta Regional Office had a staff strength of 246, comprising 65 females and 181 males, serving across 13 districts.
She expressed appreciation to the NHIA Board and Executive Management for their continued support and encouragement.
Other dignitaries who attended the durbar included Dr Koku Awoonor-Williams, Technical Advisor to the Minister of Health; Dr Ernest Yorke, President of the Ghana Medical Association; Dr Ken Tweneboah-Koduah of the Public Service.
