In a bid to enhance access to healthcare for children and support Ghana’s ambition of achieving universal health coverage by 2030, the SM Cares Foundation has launched a health-focused initiative to enrol children aged between three months and seventeen years onto the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

The outreach event, held on 17th April 2025, saw hundreds of children registered onto the scheme as part of the Foundation’s mission to support underprivileged communities.

Speaking at the event, the Chief Executive Officer of SM Cares Foundation, Sarah Mensah, emphasised the importance of healthcare in a child’s overall development.

She revealed that, in addition to NHIS registration, ten children are also being enrolled into educational and vocational skills training programmes to provide more holistic support.

“17th April is my birthday, so I decided to register children from three months to seventeen years onto the NHIS. There will also be food donations to street children around the 37 Military Hospital. This year, I want to enrol ten kids in either school or vocational training,” she said.

The Director for Membership and Regional Operations at the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Francis Oti Frempong, commended the Foundation’s efforts. He noted that improved access to health insurance has already contributed to a reduction in Ghana’s child mortality rate. However, he acknowledged that in many rural areas, families still face financial barriers to registering their children.

“This initiative addresses the challenge of infant mortality. Records show that access to health insurance helps reduce mortality rates,” he said.

For beneficiaries like Nancy Oguzie, the initiative provides a renewed sense of security. With her newly issued NHIS card, she expressed relief at being able to access healthcare without incurring out-of-pocket costs.

“It will help me because when I go to the hospital, the cost of services is affordable,” Nancy said.

The SM Cares Foundation’s commitment to children’s health serves as a powerful reminder that access to healthcare is a fundamental right, not a privilege. The organisation continues to champion inclusive, community-based interventions to ensure that no child is left behind.