Alex-Segbefia, Minister of Health
Residents living in the Tatale/Sanguri District of the Northern Region have threatened to go on a demonstration over unpaid claims owed the Tatale Hospital by the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA).
The residents claimed that they are only examined and medicines prescribed for them to go outside to buy because the facility has run short of drugs and other health materials due to lack of money to purchase them.
This confirms the opposition New Patriotic Party’s (NPP’s) claims that the NHIS is collapsing due to unpaid claims running into several months.
President John Mahama in his recent letter soliciting for votes from Ghanaians said money had been released for payment of claims.
However, DAILY GUIDE’s checks indicate that no payments have been made to health facilities, with NHIS arrears running into almost one year.
Information gathered by DAILY GUIDE revealed that the NHIA owes Tatale Hospital some undisclosed amount of money, thereby, affecting the smooth running of the facility in the district.
The facility depends on the operations of the hospital ambulance to pay their casual workers and other expenses, but the ambulance has been faulty for the past three months, thus, slowing the running of the facility.
When DAILY GUIDE visited the facility, a resident said he brought two relatives who were injured “and the facility did not have even a hand glove and that the nurses were using their bare hands to attend to the patient.”
The ambulance is of a great concern to residents because transportation remains one of the biggest challenges in the area of healthcare in the district.
A resident said a pick-up belonging to the MP for Tatale is now used to transport patients for treatment in and around the district.
When the paper contacted the Tatale Hospital administrator, Mr Henry, he confirmed that NHIA owes the facility, but was quick to add that the problem was not exclusive to the Tatale Hospital.
The hospital administrator could not give the specific amount the NHIA owes the facility, but admitted that the situation was affecting the facility.
“We haven’t suspended health insurance at our facility, the little we have we give and the one we don’t have we prescribe for them to buy outside and yes NHIA owe us,” he added.
He indicated that their suppliers do not supply them drugs because of the money they owe them.
“It’s obvious that when you owe someone so much and are not able to pay them it’s obvious that they can’t get the drugs to supply you,” he revealed.
FROM Eric Kombat, Tatale