The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has commenced a pilot rollout of its One-Time Attendance Code (OTAC) verification system in the Asunafo North Municipality of the Ahafo Region, aimed at strengthening access control and improving service delivery under the National Health Insurance Scheme.

The new system, introduced on Wednesday, June 10, 2025, requires members to generate a unique verification code by dialling *929#, selecting option 5, and following the prompts before accessing healthcare services.

The pilot is being implemented across all primary healthcare facilities in the municipality.

Officials say the exercise will run for two weeks in Asunafo North before being expanded across the wider Ahafo Region.

The initial rollout was described as smooth, following extensive public education and engagement by the Authority, as well as training provided to health workers to support beneficiaries of the scheme.

Technical teams were deployed to participating facilities to assist members who did not have active contact numbers, helping them update their details to enable receipt of the OTAC on their phones.

Individuals without personal mobile phones were also assisted to generate codes through authorised third parties, ensuring inclusive access to the system.

Prior to the launch, preparatory visits and mock exercises were conducted at the facilities to familiarise members with the process and address potential challenges.

A monitoring team led by the Director of Management Information Systems (MIS), Mr. Joe Annor-Dankwah, together with Deputy Directors Orison Afflu and Stephen Bewong, as well as Deputy Director for Membership and Regional Operations Ms. Mercy Wireduwaah Awuah and Ahafo Regional Director Mr. George Mawuli, visited participating facilities to observe the implementation.

The team expressed satisfaction with the smooth execution of the pilot and the level of preparedness demonstrated by staff and health facilities.

No significant technical or operational challenges were reported during the initial phase, with officials expressing optimism that the rollout will continue seamlessly throughout the pilot period.

The NHIA noted that lessons from the exercise will inform the nationwide deployment of the OTAC system as part of broader efforts to enhance efficiency and accountability in healthcare delivery.