Accra, 21st October 2025 — What should have been an ordinary Monday in Garu, Upper East Region, turned into a day of unspeakable tragedy. The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), a beacon of public service and healthcare equity, was shaken to its core when unidentified gunmen stormed its District Office, unleashing indiscriminate gunfire that claimed four lives and left five others wounded.
The Executive Management of NHIA received the news with profound sorrow and disbelief. A facility built to serve—where citizens come not for conflict but for care—became the site of senseless violence. The Authority denounces this heinous act in the strongest possible terms and extends its deepest condolences to the families of the deceased and the injured. Their pain is our pain. Their loss, a wound on the conscience of the nation.
According to the Upper East Regional Police Command, the attackers arrived on motorbikes, their motives unknown, their actions unforgivable. The NHIA is now working hand-in-hand with the Ghana Police Service and other security agencies to ensure that justice is not delayed. A management delegation has been dispatched to Garu to offer support—emotional, logistical, and institutional—to the bereaved families, the injured, and the NHIA staff who endured the trauma.
In response to this breach, the Authority is undertaking a comprehensive review of security protocols across all regional and district offices. The safety of our staff, our clients, and our facilities is not negotiable. It is a sacred duty.
We urge calm and unity as investigations proceed. Let us not allow fear to fracture our resolve. The NHIA remains committed to its mission: delivering healthcare access to all, without fear or favor.
As we mourn, we also remember. May the souls of the departed rest in perfect peace. And may their memory strengthen our collective pursuit of justice, safety, and service.
Signed
Dr. Victor Asare Bampoe
Chief Executive
National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA)
