The government has expanded the benefit package of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to include four mental health conditions.
These are Depression Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, Anxiety Disorder and Schizophrenia Disorder. • Dr Da-Costa Aboagye Implementation of this significant addition will take effect from November 1, 2024 with the coverage involving outpatient services and the initial acute hospitalisation stage, says the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the NHIA, Dr Da-Costa Aboagye, in a statement signed and issued in Accra yesterday. "By this initiative, NHIS subscribers can access these essential services from any NHIS- accredited facility however, these services remain free of charge at the country's specialised mental healthcare hospitals." The addition is to improve access to mental health care given that the country has only a few specialised mental health hospitals, primarily the Accra Psychiatric Hospital, the Ankaful Psychiatric Hospital, and the Pantang Psychiatric Hospital," the statement said.
It stated that the bold initiative was to ensure that mental health services, which are critical to the well-being of the population were readily accessible to every Ghanaian, saying it would remove financial and geographical barriers, allowing more people to seek the care they need.
The latest move it noted was part of a broader national strategy aimed at addressing mental healthcare gaps and accelerating the delivery of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).