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| 40% of Ghanaians registered under NHIS |
8/21/2007 |
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Hohoe, Aug. 19, GNA - Over nine million Ghanaians representing 45 per cent of the population have registered under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
Mr Ras Boateng, Executive Secretary of National Health Insurance Council (NHIC) who announced this said over 3.5 million patients nation-wide sought for health care since the inception of the scheme about three years ago.
He announced this in a speech read on his behalf at a presentation of 100 bicycles valued at GH=A2 4,200 to registration and collection agents of Hohoe District Mutual Health Insurance Scheme, at Hohoe. Mr Boateng said the council would continue to provide the necessary financial, administrative and technical support for quality, accessible and affordable health care delivery.
He said the council had therefore, procured four-wheel drive pick-ups to the 138 mutual schemes in the country in addition to computers, motor bikes and bicycles to enable the staff reach out to rural communities where the core poor and vulnerable reside. Mr Boateng said the council was currently reviewing its tariff and medicine lists and streamline other bottlenecks that affected the smooth implementation of the scheme to achieve 70 per cent national coverage. He announced that a national award scheme would soon be instituted to honour hard work and innovation and urged stakeholders in the health sector to rationalize their energies towards the success and sustenance of the scheme.
Mr Lawrence Sakada, Hohoe District Scheme Manager said about GH=A2 49,875 was collected in premium and administrative charges. He said 38,001 identity cards were processed for 56,066 applicants as against 25,321 when the scheme commenced.
Mr Sakada said it had paid GH=A2 520,000 in claims to accredited health facilities and received GH=A2 445,289 as subsidy from the council for the exempt category with about 144,000 clients accessing health care in the district.
He said major challenges facing their operations, were the delay in re-imbursement of claims from the council, exclusion of drugs from the essential drug lists, non-compliance with medicine lists by providers and poor provider-patient relationship.
Mr John Peter Amewu, Hohoe District Chief Executive expressed appreciation that operations of the scheme had improved despite the initial rejection and politicisation.
He appealed to Ghanaians especially politicians to put lives of the people above partisanship and join hands to move the scheme forward. Mr Smart Ahadzi, Chairman of Board of Directors of Hohoe District Mutual Health Scheme, entreated stakeholders to embark on vigorous membership drive to facilitate a holistic inclusion of all and sundry in the scheme.
Togbega Gabusu VI, Paramount Chief of Gbi Traditional Area called on government and development partners to incorporate the role of traditional authority in the development agenda to enhance accelerated growth. 19 Aug. 07
Source:
GNA
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