[ 2016-08-23 ]

President John Dramani Mahama

NHIS not collapsing; NPP lied - Mahama
President John Dramani Mahama has rejected claims
by the opposition New Patriotic Party that the
National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) is
collapsing under his watch.

The NPP has on several platforms accused
government of starving the NHIS of funds thus
crippling the health sector.

According to them, the scheme which begun under
the erstwhile Kufuor administration was doing very
well until the NDC took over, but has failed to
give it the needed attention to grow.

But President Mahama while addressing Ghanaians
in the Northern Region during his campaign tour
said the NHIS scheme has become “very strong”
under the NDC government.

“Our political opponents say NHIS has
collapsed. NHIS in 2008 saw 9 million outpatient
visitations to hospitals. Last year, 2015, the
NHIS has grown in outpatients visitations from 9
million to 29 million. How can that be a scheme
that has collapsed? In 2008, the total amount of
money that was paid to facilities for providing
treatments to NHIA [National Health Insurance
Authority] patients was GHc183 million. Last year,
2015, the total amount of money that was paid by
NHIA to facilities across the country for
treatments given to NHIA cardholders was more than
GHc1 billion. How can that be a scheme that has
collapsed?”

President Mahama who is seeking another term in
office said when the NHIS was introduced, “it
was predicted that from the way it was structured,
it could last only till 2010,” adding that “we
have extended the life of the NHIA from 2010 to
2016 and it is still providing service.”

He also explained that government is currently
restructuring the scheme to enable it stand the
test of time.

“If we want it to be sustainable, we have to
restructure it and that is why we are introducing
computerized claims system and capitation so that
we can make it more sustainable. So if anybody
comes and tells you that the NHIA has collapsed
tell the person it is [a] lie. Tell the person
that the NHIA is very strong,” President Mahama
added.

Source - citifmonline.com

... go Back