Integrating RUTF Into NHIS: Strengthening Health Systems and Protecting Ghana’s Future

Malnutrition remains one of the most significant barriers to Ghana’s long-term development. While its effects are most visible in childhood illness and mortality, its consequences extend far beyond the health sector, affecting education outcomes, labor productivity, and economic growth.

Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM), in particular, demands urgent policy attention due to its direct link to preventable child deaths. At the center of the solution lies Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) and the need for its inclusion in the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

NHIS has played a critical role in expanding access to healthcare by reducing out-of-pocket expenditures and improving utilization of services. However, the exclusion of RUTF exposes a structural weakness in the system.

 When families cannot access treatment for SAM through NHIS, the burden of care shifts back to households already struggling with poverty and food insecurity.

RUTF is not a luxury commodity; it is an essential medicine for malnutrition. Its formulation allows children to be treated at home, reducing hospitalization costs and improving adherence. Evidence from Ghana and other countries shows that community-based management of acute malnutrition is both effective and scalable when adequately financed.

Failure to integrate RUTF into NHIS creates inefficiencies across the health system. Facilities cannot plan effectively, health workers face ethical dilemmas, and monitoring of outcomes becomes fragmented. By contrast, NHIS coverage would allow for standardized protocols, better data collection, and improved quality of care.

Importantly, integrating RUTF into NHIS would reduce Ghana’s dependence on donor funding for a core child survival intervention.

While development partners play a valuable role, reliance on external funding for essential services poses sustainability risks. National ownership through NHIS financing would ensure continuity of care and long-term impact.

The economic case is equally compelling. Studies consistently show that investments in nutrition yield some of the highest returns in development, often exceeding returns from infrastructure projects. Children who receive timely treatment for malnutrition are more likely to complete school, earn higher incomes, and contribute to national growth.

As Ghana advances its Universal Health Coverage agenda, it is imperative that nutrition interventions are fully integrated into health financing decisions.

Leaving RUTF outside NHIS sends the message that malnutrition is a peripheral issue rather than a core determinant of health and development.

Policymakers have the opportunity to correct this imbalance. Integrating RUTF into NHIS would strengthen the health system, protect vulnerable children, and safeguard Ghana’s future workforce. It is a policy decision grounded in evidence, equity, and national interest.

Key Policy Recommendations: The Ministry of Health and NHIA should immediately commission a costing study to integrate RUTF into the NHIS benefits package by 2027. Parliament’s Health Committee should prioritize oversight of this integration, with quarterly progress reports.

The National Health Insurance Authority must allocate 2-3% of its annual budget to nutrition interventions, including RUTF coverage for all diagnosed SAM cases. District health directorates should establish standardized RUTF distribution protocols, with digital tracking systems to monitor utilization and outcomes.

Finally, the Ghana Health Service should launch a nationwide training programme for health workers on community-based management of acute malnutrition, ensuring quality service delivery from hospital to household level.

Feature article by Women, Media and Change under its Nourish Ghana: Advocating for Increased Leadership to Combat Malnutrition project

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