President John Dramani Mahama says Ghana has begun implementing aggressive healthcare reforms aimed at improving access to quality medical care, especially for citizens outside the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

Addressing the 79th World Health Assembly in Geneva, Mr Mahama said the government had moved “beyond rhetoric” to place citizens at the centre of healthcare delivery.

“With one of the most successful national health insurance schemes in Africa, Ghana has an insurance coverage estimated at 66% as at the end of 2025. This still leaves about 34% of our population without coverage,” he said.

According to him, the government recently rolled out a free primary healthcare programme to remove financial barriers to basic healthcare services, particularly in rural communities.

“By removing financial barriers to the most basic and essential services at the rural level, we’ve ensured that our citizens in the remotest regions of our country also enjoy access to quality healthcare,” he stated.

Mr Mahama acknowledged the support of the World Health Organization and its Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, for recognising Ghana’s progress.

The President also announced major reforms to the NHIS, including the removal of the cap on the National Health Insurance Fund.

He said the decision immediately released an additional GH¢3 billion, equivalent to about $300 million, for healthcare investment.

Mr Mahama further disclosed that the government was deploying digital tools and artificial intelligence systems to detect fraudulent insurance claims and improve efficiency within the scheme.

“Because the health insurance scheme is only as strong as the trust between the state and the hospitals that provide the care,” he said.

Healthcare financing and sustainability have become major policy issues in Ghana amid rising medical costs and concerns over delayed NHIS reimbursements to service providers.