Achieving Universal Health Care through Health Integration
UNHCR Ghana has since 2016 integrated refugee services into the national health system which includes a health financing arrangement.
The inclusion of refugees in the national health financing scheme is done through the gradual increment of POC’s contribution to registration and renewal of cards yearly.
Within the context of the health services integration, access to primary, secondary, and tertiary healthcare is made easier using the NHIS cards. This has improved access to health care and ensured financial risk protection during illness. The health insurance card enables the majority of the POC to access specialized services nationwide, without the direct support of UNHCR.
To ensure equity, UNHCR fully supports complementary medical bills for vulnerable groups and critical medical conditions requiring specialist care. To achieve the objective of equitable and sustained access to health services by refugees and host communities, UNHCR contributes critical resources, technical expertise, and leadership to strengthen the national systems, most especially the Ghana Health Service’s complete ownership of the camp health facilities.
In line with the global strategic direction of partnering with the government to integrate development work into the national framework, UNHCR works closely with its implementing the Ministry of Health as well as the Christian Council of Ghana and the National Catholic Services, Partners in providing health services to refugees and asylum seekers through facilitation and administrative support.