The Mental Health Authority (MHA) has visited the Chief Executive and management of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) to explore potential collaborations aimed at improving access to mental healthcare services and raising public awareness.
At the meeting held in Accra last Monday, the Chief Executive of the MHA Professor Pinaman Appau, who led her delegation, congratulated the CEO of the NHIA, Dr Victor Asare Bampoe on his appointment.
“We are here today for several reasons, but first, to congratulate you on your appointment as CEO of NHIA.
“We’ve seen your work during your time at the Ministry of Health and are confident that you will elevate the NHIS and make healthcare more accessible for Ghanaians.”
Mainstreaming mental healthcare
Touching on other reasons for their visit, Professor Appau highlighted the pressing issue of mental health care access and awareness, which she said remained a significant challenge for many Ghanaians.
She said with mental health conditions becoming increasingly prevalent, it is clear that stronger partnerships between institutions like the MHA and NHIA are needed to address the mental health needs of the population.
Professor Appau emphasised the importance of ensuring that all mental health conditions are adequately covered, highlighting the urgency of getting this issue resolved.
She said the MHA has long been advocating for the inclusion of mental health conditions in the NHIS benefit package.
“We submitted a proposal to NHIA to include a range of mental health disorders under the NHIS benefit package. We were happy to learn that the board had approved the inclusion of four conditions, but unfortunately, we have not received official documentation about the scope of coverage.
“This is something that we had hoped to clarify well in advance of the package’s proposed start date in November 2024. However, with the transition of leadership, we have not received formal details. We will be glad if we can have an update on this,” she said.
Awareness
Professor Appau said the MHA had observed with concern that the prevalence of mental health conditions was increasing but education was lurking.
This is why we designated May as a public awareness month or purple month.
She called on the NHIA to support the MHA to raise awareness about the MHA’s upcoming initiatives, particularly the Mental Health Awareness Month in May.
“The MHA has dedicated the entire month of May to raising awareness about mental health issues and reducing the stigma associated with mental health conditions.
“It’s not just about visible or extreme cases; it’s about everyday stress, anxiety, depression, and the overall well-being of every individual,” she said.
She made a direct appeal to the NHIA CEO, asking if he could attend the launch event for Purple Month on April 30.
“We believe that your presence at the launch would greatly enhance the credibility of this campaign and demonstrate your commitment to mental health issues in Ghana,” she said.
With the NHIA Boss at the meeting were, Deputy Chief Executive, Admin & HR, Mr Raphael Segkpeb; Deputy Chief Executive, Operations, Dr. Senanu Kwesi Djokoto; Mr. Oswald Essuah-Mensah, Ag. Director, Corporate Affairs; Mr. Magnus Owusu-Agyemang, Director, Actuarial, Mr. Oti Frempong, Director, Membership and Regional Operations and Dr. Mrs. Ruby Aileen Mensah Annan, Director, Strategic Health Purchasing.
The others are Dr. Gustav Cruickshank, Director Financial Accounting; Mr. Raymond Avinu, Director, Administration; Dr. Yaw Opoku-Boateng, Director, Quality Assurance; Annette Obenewaa Adutwum, Director, Legal and Dr. Abigail Nyarko Codjoe Derkyi-Kwarteng, Ag. Director, Claims
NHIA’s response
In response, the NHIA’s CEO expressed appreciation for the visit and reaffirmed his commitment to fostering a collaborative relationship with the MHA.
He said mental health is of priority to the President and assured that it would not be relegated to the background.
“Today, I am supposed to be in listening mode since this is our first meeting, but I have three key points to share,” he said.
He then shared insights into the NHIA’s vision under his leadership, emphasising three priorities: strengthening internal controls, addressing illegal payments, and aligning with the President’s vision for free primary healthcare.
“We have three key priorities. The first is internally focused. We’re working to strengthen our internal controls. We want to ensure that the majority of the funding is directed towards our core business, which is claims payment.
“We’re focused on tightening the system, reducing waste, and ensuring that our staff has the right tools and support to do their work effectively
“The second priority is addressing the challenge of illegal charges or out of pocket payment at the point of use, often referred to as co-payments.
“We’ve received numerous complaints about this, and we plan to set up a dedicated group of our most skilled people to address this issue. The goal is to eliminate these illegal payments and protect the integrity of our work,” he said.
Mahama Cares
Dr. Bampoe then moved on to the broader vision, focusing on the President’s agenda for healthcare.
“Our third priority aligns with the President’s initiative—Mahama Cares and free primary healthcare. The President is deeply committed to this vision, and we have frequent discussions with him about it.
“We’ve been tasked with finding models to implement this, and we’re working closely with the Ministry of Finance to ensure we can make this vision a reality.”
He emphasised the importance of mental health in that broad strategy.
“Mental health is a crucial aspect of this vision. We know it’s important, and although we sometimes joke to break the ice, we understand its significance. We’re committed to supporting you to the extent that we can, as we’ve worked together in the past, and we will continue to find ways to collaborate.
“My final point is how we can institutionalise this relationship. We need to find a structure that allows us to meet periodically, not just to talk, but to come up with concrete solutions to issues like funding and other challenges,” he said.
A Deputy Chief Executive, NHIA, Dr Dzokoto highlighted the crucial nature of mental health issues, and the challenges faced in service delivery.
He stressed that mental health affects one in five people, making it an issue that could affect anyone.
He pointed out the need to decentralise mental health services for better access.
A Deputy Chief Executive, NHIA, Mr Segkpeb expressed his support for the awareness initiative set for April 30th, acknowledging the concerning statistics that 1 in 5 people struggle with mental health conditions.
He expressed his support for the discussions, particularly focusing on increasing access to quality mental health services and raising awareness.
Directors present made varying input into the discussions, and they respectively pledged their commitment to the mental health course, emphasising the importance of collaboration and ensuring that mental health issues receive the attention they deserve.
Their collective input highlighted a strong dedication to improving mental health care access and ensuring that effective solutions are put in place moving forward.
