The Upper West Regional Directorate of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has surpassed its 2025 membership targets, achieving 108.8% population coverage and reversing what officials describe as a previously declining enrollment trend.

Speaking at the region’s annual performance review meeting, the Upper West Regional Director of NHIA, Rashid Tindogo, said the directorate exceeded its annual registration target by 36%.

According to him, the region registered 962,704 new and renewed members in 2025, pushing active membership to 1,083,419 people—equivalent to 108.8% of the region’s estimated population for the year.

“Our mandate is to protect the poor, and wherever they are, we will look for them to register them with the scheme,” Mr. Tindogo said.

He noted that the authority remained committed to supporting vulnerable populations, with 616,769 vulnerable persons enrolled during the year under review. This group accounted for 64% of total registrations in the region.

In addition to the enrollment success, the directorate mobilised more than GH¢4 million in revenue, representing 82% of its financial target for 2025.

Mr. Tindogo also used the platform to issue a stern warning to healthcare providers engaged in extortion or illegal charges. He stressed that NHIA management is determined to clamp down on the practice and urged the public to report any facility that demands unauthorised payments or top-ups.

“We are determined to eliminate illegal payments. Members of the public should report any facility that charges them unlawfully to our regional or district offices,” he cautioned.

For their outstanding contribution to the region’s performance, the Jirapa-Lambussie district office was named the best-performing office for the year. The recognition is particularly significant as the office currently manages the workload of both districts due to the absence of a dedicated NHIA office in Lambussie.

Looking ahead, the authority is encouraging residents to take advantage of digital self-service platforms to renew their memberships. The NHIS mobile app and the shortcode *929# allow members to renew their insurance coverage from home, reducing the need to visit NHIA offices.

Chairing the review meeting, Associate Director of Claims at the Tamale Claims Processing Centre, Titus Sorey, said the gathering was an important opportunity for reflection and planning.

“This is not just a routine meeting. It is a critical pause to reflect on what we achieved in 2025 and assess the challenges ahead,” he said. “What got us where we were in 2025 will not get us to 2026. Even to maintain that performance, we need to do more.”

The NHIA says it will continue strengthening digital enrollment, tackling illegal charges, and improving claims processing as part of its broader effort to achieve universal health coverage in the region.