President Akufo-Addo
President Akufo-Addo has disclosed that a payment of GH?560 million has been made as part payment for the total debts of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA).
This has facilitated the revival of the scheme.
Before the Akufo-Addo administration took over from the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) owed GH?1.2 billion.
He indicated that his government is committed to paying the balance of the debt within 12 months.
President Akufo-Addo lambasted the NDC for not being able to manage the NHIS implemented by ex-President Kufuor but rather leaving behind debts.
“The service providers were no longer prepared to put their service on credit but needed cash and that was the problem,” he hinted.
It would be recalled that most hospitals, especially those in the Northern Region, were crying foul about the non-payment of their claims. The president has, however, assured that all such hospitals would have their concerns addressed and claims paid before the end of the year.
Some years after its inception, the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) which was started during ex-President Kufuor’s regime faced a lot of challenges which almost led to its collapse.
The scheme which was implemented to replace the cash-and-carry system forced suppliers on the scheme from supplying drugs to the various healthcare centres.
Subsequently, the cash-and-carry system slowly made it way in some parts of the country due to the inability of some health facilities to purchase drugs and pay for their supplies.
As part of his campaign promises, the then flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Akufo-Addo, assured Ghanaians that when given the nod as president of the country, he would revive NHIS and get it working across the country.
Barely a year after assuming office, President Akufo-Addo has paid parts of the debts insured by the scheme which nearly collapsed it.
FROM Eric Kombat, Nalerigu