National health insurance initiatives progress in Ghana and South Africa

In Ghana’s Bono Region, the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) is working toward Universal Health Coverage. Regional Director Isaac Badu Amponsah reported that active membership reached 1,011,034, representing 73.64% of the population as of the second quarter of 2026. The NHIA aims to reach 84% coverage by the end of the year through increased community mobilization and stakeholder collaboration.

In South Africa, the implementation of the National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme has entered Phase 2, scheduled to run until 2028. The rollout faces legal challenges in the Constitutional Court, where the Board of Healthcare Funders and the Western Cape provincial government are contesting the passage of the NHI Act due to alleged insufficient public participation.

Efforts in South Africa also include developing the National Health Patient Registration System and exploring digital health technologies. While telemedicine is being considered to improve service delivery in rural and underserved areas, experts emphasize the need for affordable and inclusive platforms, such as those utilizing ubiquitous messaging services like WhatsApp, to ensure widespread adoption.