The Ghana Health Service’s Director of Health Promotion, Dr. Dacosta Aboagye, has been named by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as the next Chief Executive of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA).
In a correspondence addressed to the President, the Secretary clarified that the appointment was made in accordance with Section 14 (1) of the National Health Insurance Act, 2012 (Act 852).
The letter states that Dr. Aboagye succeeds Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye, the Minister-designate for health, and that the appointment is “pending receipt of the constitutionally required advice of the governing board of the Authority given in consultation with the Public Services Commission.”
Dr. Aboagye’s educational background includes a 2007 Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the University of Cape Coast, a 2010 Master’s degree in Public Health and Health Promotion from Leeds Beckett University, and a 2016 PhD in National Health Insurance Scheme in Ghana (Research) from Glasgow University. A higher national degree in pharmacy technology from Kumasi Technical University, earned in 2002, is among his other qualifications.
With a lot of experience in national health insurance finance, public health, and health promotion, the 45-year-old national health insurance expert is currently employed by the Ghana Health Service as the Director of the Health Promotion Division.
He was on the presidential taskforce responsible for managing the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana from 2020 to 2023 and oversaw the country’s risk communication initiatives.
He served as the cohort leader for the University of West London’s Public Health and Health Promotion program and as an external examiner for the University of Salford’s Public Health and Health Promotion program as well as the University of Salford’s National Health Insurance Financing program before being named director of health promotion.
In addition, he has the distinguished position of chairing the West Africa Health Organization’s Public Health Risk Communication and Community Engagement for Disease Control within the ECOWAS community. In order to achieve universal health coverage and sustainable development goals, this position involves fostering experience sharing, advocacy, learning, and the promotion of improved health through the establishment of stronger health systems among the 15 ECOWAS member states.
He also holds the position of Chairman of the Africa CDC Public Health Risk Communication and Community Engagements Community of Practice, which comprises 55 member states and promotes best practices, strengthening of the health system, including financing for national health insurance, ongoing education, and knowledge sharing throughout Africa.
In the areas of health insurance, public health, and health promotion, he has published roughly eleven influential research publications. He has also given numerous presentations of his work both domestically and abroad.
Dr. Dacosta Aboagye has been recognized with many honors and distinctions, such as the Golden Citizen Award (2021), the MTN Young Professionals Role Model in Health (Gold Category, 2020), and the National Best Health Leader of the Year (2023).
In 2023, he received the highest honor bestowed by the Republic of Ghana, the Order of the Volta – Companion Category, in recognition of his sacrifices and achievements made during Ghana’s reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic.
