Chief Executive of the National Health Insurance Authority, Sylvester A. Mensah, has been invited to make a presentation at a high-level Global Conference on Sustainable and Equitable growth through Universal Health Coverage, to be held in Tokyo, Japan.

The invitation- jointly signed by World Bank President, Jim Yong Kim, and the Deputy Prime Minister of Japan, Taro Aso, said the conference is intended to provide a global forum for sharing how countries across the globe, including Japan, have achieved or making progress towards Universal Health Coverage and how investments in health are contributing towards eradicating poverty and shared prosperity across the globe.

The December 5-6, 2013 conference, being hosted by Japan, will, according to the World Bank, bring together “a diverse set of stakeholders, including some 200 policy makers, researchers, international experts and civil society representatives from around the world.”

Mr. Mensah’s invitation to the two-day global conference incidentally comes at a time the NHIS is marking its 10th anniversary, placing into sharp focus the contribution and relevance of the health insurance scheme to Ghana’s own march towards Universal Health Coverage.

The NHIS has been considered by many as one of the main vehicles to move Ghana towards the attainment of Universal Health Coverage.

Indeed, the theme for the 10th anniversary commemoration of the scheme is, ‘Towards Universal Health Coverage: Increasing Enrollment whilst Ensuring Sustainability.’

The choice of this theme could not have been more appropriate as the NHIA has set in motion extensive special registration campaigns across all districts in the country to ensure that more people are covered by the Scheme.

Mr. Mensah’s participation in the conference will further sell Ghana’s story to the international community and continue to project the NHIS as one of the promising health insurance models in the world.