GMA president Dr. Frank Ankobea (Left) handing over policy document to CEO of Premier Health Insurance, Percy Asare-Ansah CEO of Premier (Right)
The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) and the Premier Health Insurance Company have signed an agreement to provide free medical care for doctors and their families.
The partnership is a major step towards improving the working conditions of doctors across the country.
According to the outgoing GMA President, Dr. Frank Ankobea, members of the GMA, both in public and private practice across the country will, under this new arrangement access health care services in any health facility of their choice without having to pay any medical expenses.
He explained that the Association through its members will pay reasonable annual premiums which will facilitate the implementation of this historic health policy for doctors.
Dr. Frank Ankobea made this revelation at the just ended GMA Annual General Meeting.
He said the policy is the first of its kind to have been pioneered by the GMA.
Dr. Ankobea said the policy will go a long way to improving the low health worker motivation and discontent in the hospitals, known to be a major cause of poor healthcare outcomes.
He was disappointed that health workers, particularly doctors, who are the custodians of health care delivery in the country, are measured and assessed by what the public perceives to be ‘people-centered care but very little attention is given to the care doctors receive when they or their family members are sick.
“It is for this reason that our team entered into this partnership with Premier Health Insurance, the GMA president said, adding, “this policy will in many significant ways address a major challenge for doctors who break their necks every day caring for patients, and yet when they are down with sickness they are forced, and sometimes struggle to raise the cost of medical expenses for themselves and their immediate family members.”
“We have lost some members in the past because when the sickness struck, they were unable to pay upfront the cost of health delivery services,” he pointed out.
For Dr. Ankobea and his team of executives who will soon be exiting office as leaders of the GMA, this health insurance policy is a just-in-time legacy project they intend to bequeath to all doctors after they leave office.
Even though doctors are expected to pay the premiums at least to set the policy in motion, Dr. Ankobea was quick to alert the government of its promises to secure the welfare and health needs of doctors.
“Indeed this is a bold step we have taken but the government can at least meet us halfway with the premiums, in line with the promises government has made in the past,” he reiterated.
Explaining the processes under which Premier Health Insurance was selected to champion this health insurance policy, Dr. Ankobea said GMA invited bids from the major health insurance companies.
“After a thorough assessment of all the bids we realized Premier Health insurance offered the most competitive bid, which was equitable and affordable,” he added.
He believed this policy is a major step forward towards improving the health and welfare of the over 5,000 members across the country.
Chief Executive Officer of Premier Health Insurance, Percy Asare-Ansah said the partnership with GMA is a testament to Premier’s track record in managing the health insurance needs of its clients.
Even though the company has similar arrangements for teachers, Mr. Ansah said the policy with the GMA is novelle in many significant respects.
“My team and I have always been thinking around a policy that will meet the health needs of doctors and so we were not entirely surprised that our bid grabbed the attention of the GMA.
And given the fact that we already have a seamless package with teachers across the country, it was relatively easy drafting an impressive package for doctors as well,” Mr. Ansah added.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri