NHIA TO SETTLE INDEBTEDNESS TO SERVICE PROVIDERS
The Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyemang Manu,
has announced plans by the government to help the National Health Insurance
Authority, NHIA, to clear its indebtedness to the service providers beginning
from next week.
As a starter, all service providers will be paid their National
Health Insurance Claims for the month of May of last year latest by early next
week.
By June this year, central government will reimburse the NHIA to a cash
amount enough funds to offset two month arrears owed the service providers for
the months of June and July of 2016 and thereafter commit to regular monthly
releases to the Authority to pay its creditors and also for its operations.
Mr.
Agyeman Manu announced this in Kumasi at the opening of the Ministry of Health
2017 Summit to mainly review performance of the health sector in the country in
2016.
The three-day Health Summit, which is on theme: “Accountability in the
Health Sector to Achieve the Health-related SDGs”, is being attended by key
stakeholders within the healthcare sector including international and local
development partners.
The Minister of Health noted with serious worry the high
number of people enjoying the national health insurance scheme under the
various exempt segments including the indigenes, the aged, minors and pregnant
women.
Mr. Agyemang Manu disclosed that the Scheme is facing serious financial
challenges.
However, government will very soon announce new policy direction
for sustainability of the scheme for the benefit of particularly the poor.
He
observed also that most of the deliverable health indicators as set as target
for last year were missed.
Mr. Agyemang Manu asked for a critical analysis of
the factors that continue to drawback progress of the sector.
The Country
Representative of UNICEF, Madam Susan Namondo Ngongi, observed that Ghana’s
health sector recorded a mixed performance last year.
Madam
Ngongi, disclosed that some of the external development partners have already
withdrawn their support to the health sector with others likely to wean the
country off their aid since Ghana has attained a middle income status.
The
Upper West Region was adjudged as the Best performing region in the implementation
of the health sector programme of work followed by the Brong Ahafo and Western
regions.
They were each presented with a plague as signs of appreciation and
recognition of their performance.
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