Sunyani NHIS Reviews First Quarter Progress with Stakeholders, Commits to Tackling Co-Payments and Enhancing Service Delivery

By Clement Obeng, Bono Regional PRO / June 12, 2025

The Sunyani Municipal Health Insurance Scheme held its first quarter performance review meeting with key stakeholders on Thursday, June 5, 2025, at the Sunyani Municipal Assembly Office. The meeting was aimed at assessing the successes and challenges of the scheme in the first quarter and charting a course towards achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by 2030.

In his welcome address, Mr. Abuu Alhaji Appiah, the Sunyani Municipal Scheme Manager, highlighted the impressive performance of the scheme in 2024, achieving 105 percent of its target. He acknowledged the challenges encountered but emphasized that a robust action plan was rolled out in the first quarter of 2025. Mr. Appiah stressed the importance of stakeholder involvement in enhancing quality healthcare delivery and urged all present to confront the growing issue of illegal charges (co-payments), which he described as a serious concern for patients.

The meeting was also attended by the Acting Bono Regional Director of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Mr. Isaac Badu Amponsah, who is currently on his maiden tour of the region. He expressed appreciation to the CEO of NHIA, executive management, staff, and healthcare providers for their collective efforts in sustaining and strengthening the scheme.

Mr. Amponsah commended the Sunyani Municipal team for exceeding their targets and promised effective leadership that promotes operational readiness and helps meet future goals. He reiterated NHIA CEO Dr. Victor Asare Bampoe’s three strategic priorities: achieving Universal Health Coverage, ensuring prompt claims payments, and rolling out the Mahama Cares initiative, which seeks to provide coverage for chronic non-communicable diseases not currently included under NHIS. He also issued a stern warning to healthcare providers against charging unauthorized fees and encouraged the timely submission of claims.

Hon. Abdulai Razack, Presiding Member of the Sunyani Municipal Assembly and chair of the event, called on healthcare facilities to remain within legal boundaries and uphold ethical standards in service delivery. He assured stakeholders that the Assembly would consider addressing some of the logistical challenges outlined by the Scheme Manager, including the renovation of office infrastructure and repairs to air-conditioning systems.

He concluded by commending the NHIS for its achievements and assured continued support from the Assembly to further enhance the scheme’s operations in the municipality.

The engagement offered a platform for stakeholders to reaffirm their commitment to improving healthcare access and ensuring that the NHIS remains a vital tool in delivering equitable health services across the Sunyani Municipality.