The Chief Executive Officer of Nationwide Medical Insurance, Nancy Ampah, has urged health insurance players to increase financing of Non-Communicable Diseases, especially cancers.

According to her, it is only when health insurance companies develop critical illness plans in their product offerings that the gap in NCD access can be bridged.

Nancy made the remarks at the Novartis Biome SSA Leadership Connect Series, an initiative organized by Novartis Sub Saharan Africa that brings together thought leaders of the healthcare ecosystem to hold discussions aimed at finding solutions and advancing new ideas to address the complex challenges confronting healthcare delivery in Africa.

She spoke on the role of insurance players in addressing Ghana’s increasing non-communicable disease burden and contributed to a discussion on the healthcare service provider’s role in delivering quality care on NCDs.

“It is about time we consider preventive healthcare and health promotion to help people make better choices for improved health and wellbeing”. she added.

Among the speakers were Dr Okoe Boye, CEO of National Health Insurance Authority, Ghana, Dr Martha Gyansa Lutterodt, former Director of Pharmaceutical Services & Chief Pharmacist of Ghana, Racey Muchilwa, Head & Country President, Novartis sub-Saharan Africa and Divine Akaba, Regional Commercial Head, English Speaking Africa at Medtronic.

The Novartis Biome SSA is a regional innovation hub covering 46 countries which adopts a multi-sectoral approach to forging partnerships and coalitions that create solutions to impact patients and strengthen healthcare systems.

Nancy Ampah has been leading Nationwide Medical Insurance for over a decade and has substantial experience in research [School of Public Health] and health insurance, having worked with the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) from its inception in management.

Under her stewardship, Nationwide has received several awards, including being a four-time multiple award winner of the health insurance company of the year at the Ghana Insurance Awards. Nancy is a thought leader in health insurance, having presented and participated in several local and international conferences and seminars on health insurance and is currently the Acting President of the Private Health Insurance Association of Ghana (PHIAG). She has more than 15 awards on health insurance, leadership and women empowerment to her credit.