“Maintain active NHIS coverage, keep children in school” — Government Statistician

The Government Statistician, Dr Alhassan Iddrisu, has called on households to maintain active National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) coverage and ensure that children remain in school consistently, as Ghana records notable improvements in living conditions.

According to Ghana’s 2024 Q1–2025 Q3 Multidimensional Poverty Report, multidimensional poverty — a non-monetary measure that captures deprivations in health, education and living conditions — declined from 24.9 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2024 to 21.9 per cent by the third quarter of 2025.

Dr Iddrisu explained that while the overall trend points to progress, gaps in health insurance coverage and education remain among the most persistent drivers of poverty, particularly in rural communities and some regions of the country.

The report indicates that more than 360,000 people exited multidimensional poverty between the second and third quarters of 2025 alone, while nearly 950,000 people moved out of poverty between the third quarter of 2024 and the third quarter of 2025.

Despite these gains, an estimated 7.2 million Ghanaians were still classified as multidimensionally poor in the third quarter of 2025.

The Government Statistician noted that inactive or lapsed NHIS memberships continue to expose households to health-related shocks, while irregular school attendance and learning delays increase the risk of long-term deprivation among children.

“These figures are not just statistics. They are signals for action,” Dr Iddrisu said, adding that households play a critical role in sustaining poverty reduction by renewing health insurance regularly, keeping children in school without interruption and ensuring that learning gaps are addressed early.

The report further recommends that families improve household nutrition, especially for children, participate in skills development and livelihood programmes, and take steps to improve living conditions, particularly sanitation and overcrowding.

Dr Iddrisu emphasised that protecting gains made in poverty reduction will require coordinated efforts by government, the private sector, civil society and households, with education and healthcare access remaining central to building resilient communities.

Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith and Hawa Abubakar