Africa-Press – Ghana. Mr. Maxwell Mahama, the Sunyani Municipal Manager of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), has appealed to the media and assembly members to collaborate with the officials in sensitizing the public about the scheme’s significance.
He said the public still did not appreciate the positive impact of the scheme despite the assistance it provided to many during their health challenges and the removal of the cash and carry system that hitherto burdened many patients and their families financially.
Mr Mahama made the appeal at a stakeholders’ engagement with the media and assembly members in Sunyani to review the performance of the scheme and to come up with interventions that could help to sustain it.
He said the scheme was a social intervention policy for all and, therefore, entreated stakeholders to look out for indigenes in their communities, who could not afford payment of their medical bills for them to benefit from the scheme.
Mr. Mahama said the scheme covered 95 per cent of diseases in the country, including all laboratory tests, x-rays and ultra-sound scans for in-patient care.
He, however, explained that the scheme did not cover VIP ward accommodation, mortuary services, medical examinations for purposes of employment, school admissions, visa applications, driving license, diagnoses and treatment abroad, cosmetic surgeries, artificial insemination and gynaecological hormone replacement therapy.
Mr Mahama said one of the operational challenges of the NHIS was the financial dealings of some of health facilities and, therefore, urged the media to campaign against extortion and other malpractices that might affect the progress of the scheme.
He said no health facility had the right to detain patients on discharge since that was against the law and urged members to report all illegal payments at any health facility for instant action and appropriate sanction.
Source: www.gna.org.gh
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