The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in the Nandom Municipality on Sunday, May 24, 2026, intensified efforts to increase public awareness and access to healthcare through an outreach exercise dubbed “Operation Storm.”
The exercise saw officials of the scheme, health personnel and stakeholders storming Nandom township, the Nandom market and surrounding communities to educate residents on the government’s free primary healthcare policy and the ongoing NHIS registration waiver exercise.
Speaking during the sensitization programme, the Municipal Manager of the NHIS, Mr. Baghr Francis, said Operation Storm forms part of a nationwide initiative aimed at ensuring that the message of free primary healthcare reaches every community and individual.
“Operation Storm is storming every nook and cranny of Ghana with the message of free primary healthcare,” he stated.
According to him, the outreach exercise is intended to ensure that every resident understands and benefits from the policy, regardless of their background or location.
“We are trying very much to make sure nobody is left out. We are giving education to everybody concerning what has come to give equity to everybody in Ghana in terms of healthcare,” he said.
Mr. Francis explained that the free primary healthcare initiative seeks to shift the focus of healthcare delivery from treatment to prevention and health promotion.
“We are simply trying to change the narrative from curative healthcare to preventive and promotive healthcare so that we have an informed public,” he explained.
He stressed the importance of residents being aware of their health conditions and encouraged people to routinely check and monitor their health status.
“You who is going about your business every day, what is your health status? Do you know your BMI? Do you know your hypertensive status? Do you know about any cancerous elements in your body? Do you know about non-communicable diseases that are becoming dominant in our health sector?” he asked.
Mr. Francis noted that free primary healthcare would help build an informed population while making it easier for health professionals to monitor and manage health conditions at an early stage.
He also revealed that the NHIS has, since April 15, implemented a registration waiver exercise aimed at encouraging both new registrations and renewals onto the scheme.
“We have since the 15th of April been on this waiver which will end on the 31st of May,” he said.
The Municipal Director of Health, Madam Rukaya Wumnaya, was also present and underscored the importance of preventive healthcare and regular health screening.
She encouraged residents to take advantage of health interventions and educational programmes designed to improve public health outcomes, stressing that early detection and timely healthcare decisions play a critical role in reducing disease burdens within communities.
Madam Wumnaya further emphasized that healthcare delivery should not be viewed solely as the responsibility of health institutions but as a shared responsibility involving individuals, communities and institutions.
Also present at the programme were officers from the various security agencies in Nandom, officials of the National Identification Authority (NIA), as well as students from St. Anne’s and St. John’s Technical Institute who joined the public sensitization exercise.
Some beneficiaries expressed gratitude for the initiative, describing it as an opportunity that brought healthcare education and services closer to the people.
“This education has helped us understand that health is not only about going to the hospital when we are sick. We also need to know our health status before problems arise,” one beneficiary said.
Another beneficiary added, “We are grateful for this opportunity because some people may not have had the chance to visit the NHIS office, but now the information and services have been brought directly to us.”
The Operation Storm initiative forms part of ongoing efforts by the NHIS and health authorities to improve enrolment, strengthen public awareness and promote a healthier society through preventive healthcare practices.
