Parliament approves GHS10 billion for National Health Insurance Authority
Parliament of Ghana has approved a GH¢10 billion allocation for the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) in 2025, marking a significant boost to Ghana’s public healthcare financing. This is the largest-ever allocation to the fund, up from GH¢6 billion in 2024.
The NHIF serves as the financial backbone of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), a key social intervention programme aimed at providing universal healthcare access to Ghanaians.
The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), which manages the Fund, will disburse the approved amount based on the following formula:
- Claims payment: GH¢6.5 billion (65.1%)
- NHIA operational expenses: GH¢1.2 billion (12.3%)
- District office support: GH¢124 million (1.2%)
- Allocation to Ministry of Health: GH¢984 million (9.8%)
New Priorities in 2025: Dialysis and Mahama Care
Speaking to the media at Parliament House on Friday, Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, said the jump in funding was made possible by the uncapping of the NHIF in the 2025 Budget.
This, he explained, allows surplus funds to be used to support:
- Primary healthcare delivery
- Filling the revenue gap created by the withdrawal of donor funding
- The Ghana Trust Fund, also known as ‘Mahama Care’
Mr. Akandoh announced that dialysis treatment will now be supported under the NHIS as part of a broader government policy framework, marking a critical milestone for patients suffering from kidney disease.
He also revealed that the Mahama Care initiative will prioritize funding for chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as stroke and kidney infections, citing data that indicates 45% of mortality in Ghana is due to NCDs.
How the NHIF is Funded
The NHIF is financed through:
- The National Health Insurance Levy (NHIL)
- SSNIT contributions
- Returns on NHIF investments
These resources ensure the NHIS—established in 2003—continues to provide financial access to quality healthcare for all Ghanaians.
The 2025 allocation signals a renewed commitment by the Mahama-led administration to revamp healthcare funding, improve chronic disease management, and reduce financial barriers to care for vulnerable citizens.
