At the end of 2022, the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) of the Republic of Ghana launched Austrian State Printing Houses’ (OSD) “Shelter” solution as “MyNHIS” application for all citizens of Ghana. Offering a simple way to access the national healthcare insurance scheme (“NHIS”), the “MyNHIS” app is considered a significant improvement for general health coverage across the nation. “We are cheered by the improvements being made in the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to make access easier. The scheme is currently one of the better-digitalized institutions”, said Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana. Bernard Okoe-Boye, CEO of the Ghana NHIA, added “This digital innovation has led to remarkable increase in the proportion of members who renew their membership annually, thereby improving population coverage of the scheme”.
The “MyNHIS” app was developed and implemented by the Austrian-based high-security company Austrian State Printing House (OSD). “This milestone marks another successful launch of a digital identity application for OSD,” says Claudia Schwendimann, CEO of OSD International. The “MyNHIS” app is available for free on the Google Play Store for Android devices and the Apple App Store for iOS devices.
“MyNHIS” Offers First Step Into National Health System
Registration with the “MyNHIS” app requires an active internet connection and a national ID card. After completing the registration, users have access to an overview of their membership status, prescriptions, monthly payments and nearby NHIS-certified medical centers. This way, users of MyNHIS can manage their national health insurance membership from anywhere without a personal visit to a local NHIS office.
Citizens without prior NHIS membership can register for the app by entering their personal data, which will be cross-checked with the national civil register. “MyNHIS” also allows users to add friends and family members, making it easier to manage healthcare for the entire family or organisation. Payments for NHIS services can be made conveniently through the app using various methods, such as mobile money, credit card, and bank transfers. Furthermore, the app enables payments from foreign countries, making it simpler for Ghanaians living abroad to support their families back home.
Leveraging High Nationwide Smartphone Penetration
With more than 30 million citizens, Ghana is among the four African nations with the highest density of cellular phone devices with connectivity. According to the latest surveys, more than 73 percent of citizens over the age of 12 years have access to a smartphone. “This was one of the main reasons for our decision to search for a trustworthy partner like OSD for the development of a digital health application. MyNHIS represents a significant step forward in our mission to make healthcare more accessible following the principle of ‘leaving no one behind,'” Bernard Okoe-Boye states. “We are proud to partner with the NHIA for this lighthouse project,” Schwendimann says. In the coming months, MyNHIS will be updated with additional features, and functionalities. “This enhancement will further improve the usability and efficiency for the government as well as all citizens,” Schwendimann underlines.
