The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Parliamentary Candidate for the Savelugu Constituency, Hajia Fatahiya Abdul Aziz, whose lobbying led to the construction of an office space for the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in the Savelugu Municipality of the Northern Region has joined the 2nd Lady and others to commission the facility for use.

Hajia Fathia Abdul Aziz, a staffer at the office of the President was part of those who cut sod for the construction of the facility early this year.

The newly built office was completed within eight months. Officials of the Savelugu NHIS over the years have been operating in rented accommodation.

The edifice was fully funded by the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), in line with its modernization and infrastructure expansion agenda.

Although Savelugu was not originally part of the plan for the current phase of office construction, it was later considered after intense lobbying by Hajia Fathia.

Madam Fathia in her remarks at the sod-cutting ceremony underscored the importance of access to quality healthcare to the people of Savelugu.

Aside from Hajia Fathia, Ghana’s Second Lady, Hajia Samira Bawumia was also joined by the National Health Authority (NHIA), Chief Executive, Dr Da-Costa Aboagye to inaugurate the newly built District Office in the Savelugu Municipality on October 24, 2024.

Hajia Samira Bawumia at the opening ceremony applauded the Authority for the numerous completed and ongoing projects geared towards making the NHIS accessible to all residents in Ghana. According to her, the NHIS has for the past 20 years of its existence impacted the health-seeking behaviour of many people.

She described as unprecedented the level of investments in the health sector made by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s administration, in the Fourth Republic.

“Agenda 111 is an ambitious and unprecedented healthcare project.”

The Second Lady urged people to prioritize their health by embracing the NHIA’s Preventive, Promotive and Wellness programme.

For his part, Dr. Da-Costa Aboagye attributed the NHIA’s achievements to the national digitalization agenda driven by the Vice President, Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.

As part of the Authority’s digital revolution, he referenced the E-pharmacy project, the ongoing nationwide registration of children aged 6-14 years, by the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) in collaboration with the National Identification Authority (NIA) and MyNHIS App.

He further elaborated on the addition of four mental health illnesses to the NHIS Benefit Package, dialysis treatment, four childhood cancers and prompt payments of Claims to credentialed healthcare providers.

Dr Da-Costa Aboagye called for concerted efforts to end illegal charges by some credentialed healthcare providers.