The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has directed all regional directors of health service to ensure that health facilities stop charging National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) subscribers additional fees for services covered by the scheme.
The directive, contained in a letter dated November 9, 2026, was issued by the Director-General of the GHS, Dr Samuel Kaba Akoriyiea, who instructed the regional directors to ensure that patients presenting valid NHIS cards were not charged fees outside approved insurance arrangements.
The directive follows concerns raised by President John Dramani Mahama at the 68th Annual General Meeting of the Ghana Medical Association on November 6, 2026, where he said he had received complaints about some health facilities demanding additional payments from patients despite their presentation of valid NHIS cards.
President Mahama warned that health facilities found charging unauthorised fees would face sanctions. He also indicated that the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) was monitoring facilities to identify those engaging in the practice.
In the letter, Dr Akoriyiea said the government had introduced measures to improve healthcare financing and support health facilities in delivering services under the NHIS.
The measures included increases in NHIS tariffs to reflect the current cost of healthcare services, revisions to medicine prices to reflect prevailing market rates and monthly reimbursement of claims to improve cash flow to health facilities.
The GHS directive is intended to prevent patients from paying additional fees for services already covered by the NHIS.
