Queen Máxima urges NHIS coverage for digital health services

Queen Máxima of the Netherlands visited the Manna Mission Hospital in Accra on November 3 to evaluate the impact of digital healthcare on chronic disease management. Serving as the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Financial Health, she advocated for the expansion of Ghana’s National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to incorporate digital services. The Queen emphasized that integrating these technologies into the national insurance framework is essential to reducing out-of-pocket medical expenses and improving financial health for Ghanaians living with long-term conditions.

During her visit, the Queen interacted with patients and healthcare professionals to assess the NkwaPlus digital platform, an initiative by PharmAccess Ghana. The system allows patients with hypertension and diabetes to monitor their vital signs and manage their conditions remotely, significantly reducing the frequency of hospital visits. Patients, including Georgina Amedome, shared personal accounts of how the technology has preserved their livelihoods by minimizing the time and money previously spent on travel and long wait times at the facility.

Despite the clear benefits of remote monitoring, the NkwaPlus initiative is currently in its pilot phase and is not covered by the NHIS. This leaves patients to bear the cost of digital health services privately, even if they are otherwise insured. Queen Máxima inquired into the financial burdens this creates, noting that while the technology saves costs for hospitals and improves patient outcomes, the current payment model remains a barrier for many. She highlighted the importance of evolving healthcare financing to ensure that innovative, value-based care is accessible to all segments of the population.

The visit underscores a broader effort to shift Ghana toward a Value-Based Care model, which prioritizes health outcomes over the volume of services provided. By advocating for NHIS coverage of digital tools, Queen Máxima aims to foster a more resilient health system where chronic disease management is both proactive and financially sustainable. The dialogue at Manna Mission Hospital serves as a call to action for policy updates that align national insurance structures with modern digital health solutions.