Kojo Adjei Adusah, a businessman in Sunyani and just like many other Ghanaians, has to always join long winding queues every year to renew his membership under the National Health Insurance Scheme.
It has been a stressful process, but he is now a happy man, thanks to reforms in the membership renewal system of the scheme.
He is now able to renew his membership via a USSD code. “Yes, I am now able to renew my membership. Under the NHIS using the short code *929#. It has really helped me because there is no need for me to join a long queue before I renew my membership. All I need is money in my Mobile Money wallet, ” Adusah disclosed.
One needs to dial *929# on his or her mobile phone, select option 1 to register or renew the NHIS membership. Follow the prompts to provide the required information, such as your name, date of birth, and NHIS number if renewing.
Abu Modah Zuberatu, a teacher at Atebubu in the Bono East Region noted that, “I think the introduction of the short code is good, you will not waste time to join queue as it used to be some time ago, now you sit at your own comfort to renew the card.”
Another subscriber of the NHIS who has been on the scheme since its inception, Stephen Obimpeh, revealed, “Benefits of the short code renewal system are numerous. Overall, the short code has been highly effective in making National Health Insurance renewal more accessible, convenient, and efficient because now with money on my wall I am able renew it at my convenience and do the same for my children.”
The National Health Insurance Scheme has been upgrading this process since it first launched it in 2018.
Experts say it is a game-changer, helping clients under the scheme to access healthcare with their cards.
The NHIS has linked up with the National Identification Authority to have all those seeking to renew their membership to use their Ghana card details.
This is to help harmonise the data of patients and avoid duplication. The NHIS is able to leverage the biodata of patients as provided and authenticated by the NIA.
Such a collaboration among these two agencies is key to deepening the benefits of Digital Public Infrastructure.
The Chief Administrative Officer at the National Health Insurance Scheme Claims Processing Centre, Kumasi, Foster Marfo, said the new system has also brought about efficiency.
Mr. Marfo noted that all adults who want to be enrolled on the NHIS are supposed to come with their National Identification Authority card.
“Since NIA has the national data , retrieval of information and saving them becomes simple, which is helping in our data management process.”
“It has brought cost reduction. The high sums we use in procuring NHIS cards have reduced drastically because most adults have NIA cards. We only issue NHIS cards to children.”
He added, ” There is an increase in enrollment. Most people feel more comfortable coming to do their NHIS because they already have their NIA card, and they will be going home with it. It has enhanced inclusion, making the country progress towards universal health coverage.”
The NHIS also allows on its platforms for renewal of the deployment of the Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems Limited (GhIPSS) Mobile Money system for payments.
Mr Marfo said, “To our clients, it is convenient and time-saving. It is cost effective since clients will not pay transport to the office for renewal.”
But the new system has its own challenges from connectivity jams, among others.
Kojo Adjei Adusah said, “Sometimes you have to try several times before you can make the payment. The network keeps jamming. You have to keep trying before the interface redirects you to your Momo account for payment. Again, I think they should notify clients when it’s time for renewal.”
Marfo, speaking on how to improve the system, he noted that there are talks with the telcos to ensure the system works efficiently.
This report is produced under the DPI Africa Journalism Fellowship programme of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) and Co-Develop.
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