Realizing the role of sports in fostering national identity, the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has signed partnership deals with four newly promoted clubs to the Ghana Premier League.
The five-year deal covers Tamale City FC, Kotoku Royals, Samartex and Nsoatreman which have qualified for the 2022/2023 league season.
The NHIA executive management and management of the beneficiary clubs signed the partnership in Accra, on Wednesday.
The agreements symbolize the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) brand embossed on player jerseys, stadia, social media branding, TV & Radio.
By these important deals, the team players and their dependents, technical teams, and a cross-section of the fans’ medical bills will be covered by the State.
This top-notch sports marketing drive is to encourage soccer fans to check out everything about the NHIS brand and encourage people to enroll onto the Scheme.
The pact further sought to promote health education through sports and protect the Ghanaian populace against chronic diseases.
Unveiling the partnerships, the NHIA Chief Executive, Dr. Okoe Boye justified the partnership by saying, “This partnership is to help us increase the NHIS active membership to over 18 million to secure more support from development partners. We will support the teams to have access to medical consultants.
“NHIA is committed to working hard to ensure that every Ghanaian has a medical insurance cover. We have a duty to make sure that every Ghanaian knows about the NHIS. Whatever we will invest to drive up the numbers we will do it.
“The sad thing is that half of Ghana’s population are not medically insured not because they cannot afford but sometimes, they don’t care. This is the biggest human security threat,” he bemoaned.
The NHIA Governing Board Chairman, Dr. Ernest K. P Kwarko was optimistic that the partnerships would shore up the Scheme’s active membership to 80 percent.
He said it will soon be possible for people to register for the Scheme online to save time and ease traffic at the NHIS district offices.
Management of the beneficiary clubs pledged their commitment to the partnerships and promised to make the NHIS attractive to all residents in Ghana through sports.
They anticipated that the partnership will in the long run promote and whip up the enthusiasm of football fans in Ghana.
The entry of these four clubs into the local Premier Football League has attracted attention and admiration among the large sport-loving fraternity in Ghana.
