Dr. Dacosta Aboagye, the Director of Health Promotion at the Ghana Health Service, has been appointed as the new Chief Executive of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. This appointment is in line with Section 14 (1) of the National Health Insurance Act, 2012 (Act 852).

According to the letter, Dr Aboagye takes over from Dr Bernard Okoe Boye, Minister of Health-designate.

“The appointment is pursuant to Section 14 (1) of the National Health Insurance Act, 2012 (Act 852), …pending receipt of the constitutionally required advice of the governing board of the Authority given in consultation with the Public Services Commission.”
Nana Bediatuo Asante

According to a letter signed by the Secretary to the President, Nana Bediatuo Asante, the appointment of Dr. Dacosta Aboagye to the position of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) in Ghana integrates into the broader healthcare system by bringing a wealth of experience and expertise in national health insurance finance, public health, and health promotion.

Dr. Aboagye’s Portfolio

Before his appointment to the NHIA, Dr. Aboagye was the Director of the Health Promotion Division within the Ghana Health Service, where he brought a wealth of experience in national health insurance finance, public health, and health promotion.

Dr. Aboagye’s academic qualifications include a PhD in the National Health Insurance Scheme in Ghana (Research) from Leeds Beckett University, a Master’s degree in Public Health and Health Promotion from the same university, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from the University of Cape Coast. He has also received numerous prestigious awards and citations for his contributions to health promotion and public health.

In addition, he holds a higher national certificate in pharmacy technology from Kumasi Technical University, which he earned in 2002. With extensive experience in public health, health promotion, and national health insurance finance.

He served on the presidential task force responsible for managing the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana from 2020 to 2023 and oversaw the country’s risk communication efforts. He was the cohort leader for the University of West London’s Public Health and Health Promotion program and an external examiner for the University of Salford’s National Health Insurance Financing, London Metropolitan University’s Public Health, and Health Promotion program before being appointed as the director of health promotion.

In the ECOWAS community, he also holds the esteemed position of chairing the West Africa Health Organization’s Public Health Risk Communication and Community Engagement for Disease Control. As the 15 ECOWAS member states work toward attaining universal health coverage and sustainable development goals, this role involves facilitating experience sharing, advocacy, learning, and the promotion of better health through the development of stronger health systems.

The Africa CDC Public Health Risk Communication and Community Engagement Community of Practice, which has 55 member states, is led by him as well. Its goals include sharing knowledge and best practices, strengthening the continent’s health system, including financing for national health insurance, and funding continuous learning.

He has presented his research widely both locally and internationally and has approximately 11 influential research papers in the areas of health insurance, public health, and health promotion. Dr. Dacosta Aboagye has been recognized with many honors and citations, such as the Golden Citizen Award (2021), the MTN Young Professionals Role Model in Health (Gold Category, 2020), and the title of National Best Health Leader of the Year (2023).

In recognition of his services and sacrifices made during Ghana’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2023, he was bestowed with the Order of the Volta-Companion Category, the highest honor bestowed by the Republic of Ghana.