The Ketu North Municipal Secretariat of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in the Volta Region has been recognized as the top-performing district nationwide.
Out of 172 districts across Ghana, the secretariat excelled due to its effective work plan, which significantly boosted NHIS membership and improved service delivery.
The Municipal Director, Pope Yao Yevoo, has been awarded sponsorship to pursue a certificate course in Health Policy Analysis at the Graduate School of the University of Ghana Business School as part of the recognition.
Speaking to Joy News, Yevoo attributed their success to the dedication of the municipal workforce, who surpassed challenges to achieve their targets.
“In the Volta Region, the Ketu North team has the lowest number of staff. Beginning 2023, we had a meeting and motivated ourselves that we should no longer be complaining so we put measures in place, and set metrics for measuring the targets”, he said.
Yevoo emphasized that the national accolade serves as motivation to continue delivering excellent service, ensuring all citizens benefit from the NHIS, especially the underserved.
“As a Scheme, this feat is a testament to our extraordinary hard work in 2023. Because among the 11 operational districts in the Volta Region, we have the lowest staff strength. And so, to come topping all districts in Ghana, it is a full package of motivation for us”, he said.
Addressing criticisms of NHIS mismanagement and incapacity to meet client and provider needs, Yevoo countered with data, noting a substantial increase in active membership under his tenure.
“I will debunk it with facts, data. The truth of the matter is that when I became a manager in 2017, the active membership of the scheme was just around 29,000. Today, becoming the first performing district in the whole of Ghana, we have about 97,000 active members. So this cannot be the case that the scheme is not working”, he said.
Yevoo concluded by reaffirming the Ketu North Municipal Secretariat’s commitment to sustaining their high standards and further improving healthcare access through the NHIS.