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A delegation comprising the Chairman of the Health Select Committee in Parliament, Hon. Nana Ayew Afriyie, his ranking member, Hon. Kwabena Akandoh, Chief Executive of the NHIA Dr. Bernard Okoe-Boye, Director General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, some Directors of the NHIA and a representative from the Ministry of Health and others have visited the UK's House of Commons to interact with their counterparts in the Health and Social Care Committee in UK's Parliament to discuss how existing regulatory frameworks can be leveraged to improve health outcomes for patients in both countries.
The UK MP's in attendance were Paulette Hamilton and Taiwo Owatemi who praised Ghana's NHIS on how it has leveraged technology and introduced biometric systems in the registration process to increase access to healthcare as an area of interest to the UK.
Great insights were shared on how Ghana could improve the financial arrangements between government agencies to ensure better resource mobilization that guarantees swift release of funds to support the operations of healthcare providers. Interactions with senior managers of NHS UK during the week long study tour also delved into the strategic financing in the NHS, its systems, structures, regulations and provider payment mechanisms that underpins the UK heath system.
The NHIA team also made presentations to showcase progress of the NHIS, its challenges and opportunities for further collaboration with the NHS.
The study tour was organised by the NHIA in collaboration with Pharmaccess Foundation represented by its Ghana Country Director, Dr. Maxwell Antwi and funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) at the British Embassy in Ghana.
The study tour mapped out critical areas that both countries will be working on to further improve health systems in both countries.
Mrs. Uzoamaka Gilpin the Team Lead at FCDO expressed great satisfaction with the study tour and the insights gleaned and reiterated that the partnership between Ghana and the UK will continue to deepen for the benefit of both countries.
The NHIA Chief Executive, Dr. Okoe-Boye in his remarks praised the NHS UK for maintaining such high standards in delivering quality healthcare and assured participants that the NHIS which turns 20 this year, will leverage the vast amount of information received during this visit to improve Ghana's health care delivery system.
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