Bagbin proposes mandatory travel insurance for foreign visitors 

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Kingsford Bagbin, says Ghana should require non-Ghanaian travellers to purchase travel insurance as part of their ticket bookings to help strengthen the health sector.

Speaker Bagbin raised the proposal during an engagement with the Democratic Forum for Medical Laboratory Professionals on Thursday, arguing that the country must explore innovative revenue options to support healthcare delivery.

According to him, many countries already implement similar measures, and Ghana should not hesitate to adopt a policy that ensures visitors contribute to the systems they rely on when in the country.

“I suggest that non-Ghanaians who travel to Ghana must be made to pay for travel insurance as they buy their tickets,” he said. “This will help raise revenue to support the health sector, as is the practice in other jurisdictions.”

Ghana does not currently require foreign travellers to purchase mandatory travel health insurance before entering the country.

Visitors typically rely on personal travel insurance purchased voluntarily in their home countries or pay out-of-pocket for medical services while in Ghana.

Several countries, including parts of the European Union, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, and some Caribbean destinations, have adopted mandatory travel insurance policies for foreign visitors.

These systems ensure that travellers can access healthcare without burdening the host country’s health budget and provide financial protection for both the visitor and the state.

Early this year, Tanzania announced a new mandatory travel insurance policy for all foreign visitors, set to take effect in the 2025/2026 fiscal year.

Under the new regulation, every international traveller entering the country will be required to pay a non-refundable insurance fee of US$44 (€38), aimed at enhancing tourist protection and streamlining medical and travel assistance.

Authorities argued that the introduction of mandatory travel insurance strengthens Tanzania’s tourism industry by ensuring visitors have access to immediate assistance in case of emergencies, while also providing a safety net that reduces the financial burden on public healthcare facilities.

It remains to be seen if policy makers take up the speaker’s proposal.