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HEALTH

Kintampo Health Insurance Authority holds performance review

Since the inception of the National Health Insurance Scheme in the year 2004 by the John Agyekum Kuffuor led Government, the National Health Insurance Authority was set up with oversight and implementation function, doing away with the “cash and carry” system and the institution of the payment of premium as health insurance levy.

Date Created : 3/28/2019 5:00:12 AM : Story Author : Rufina Yuoni/Ghanadistricts.com

As it is mandatory for all well-meaning institutions nowadays, the National Health Insurance Authority for Kintampo North Municipality under the leadership of Mr. Gideon Amoako met stakeholders, organized groups, service providers, heads of departments, Chiefs, civil society organizations, Religious groups, Artisans, Beauticians, the media and well-meaning Ghanaians at the Kintampo Health Research Centre Conference Hall on Tuesday, 26th March, 2019 in a meeting to review the 2018 annual performance.

The occasion was grace by the Kintampo Municipal Chief Executive Mr. Michael Sarkodie Baffoe and the Regional Director for the National Health Insurance Authority, Mr. Joseph Mensah.

In his welcome address, the Municipal manager of the National Health Insurance Authority, KIntampo North indicated that, the review was a forum for participatory approaches to look back and forward to solve challenges of the authority through sharing of ideas.

He welcomed all and sundry especially all those who had travelled from far to be at the event.

NHIA Manager with the PRO of Kintampo Municipality

“This day is an opportunity for the public to make input to the work of the NHIA which represented one of the two special initiatives of the government in National Health Insurance and Free Senior High School”, the Regional Director-NHIA noted. He admitted that 2018 was a challenging year for the entire NHIA within the Brong Ahafo Region with the breakdown of printers and co-payments within service providers as recurring problems.

However, the NHIA in the region were able to do away with the predominant long queues that used to be found at the various office premises with the start of the mobile renewal platform on various mobile phone network just by dialing *929#. This singular act he noted, has reduced cost and pressure on printers leading to their breakdown. He added that, an electronic claims portal has also been created and is currently in use. “Claims payment have been remarkable in the year under review with claims of about 16 months halved and claims from the same year being paid”, Mr. Mensah said. “Claims have been paid till May 2018”, he added.

Finally, he lamented his outfit’s inability to register for free, indigents, per the target of 234, 000 and the 74,000 registered as well as the inability to pay till the mandatory three (3) months.

Mr. Joseph Mensah NHIA Regional Director B/A

The Municipal Chief Executive, Mr. Michael Sarkodie Baffoe thanked all for being at the event and noted that, the National Health Insurance was one single act by the government that saves lives and induces production and development because a health nation was a wealth nation. However, he reckons that, the scheme is not without its own challenges and indicated the government’s preparedness in engaging with stakeholders to fine-tune the system. He called for all to cherish it as it was the envy of other countries.

Consequently, in a PowerPoint presentation, the Public Relation Officer of the NIHA Kintampo North Mr. Abraham Num reviewed their operations in 2018 indicating that, the target for membership registration was 64,096 but they registered 65,776 coming in 7th in the league table for registration in the region.

A total number of 7,345 indigents were registered out of the targeted populace of 11,777, placing the Municipality 1st in Brong Ahafo. With regards to school registration, the NHIA-Kintampo registered 33,115 out of the given target of 31,925 and placing Kintampo 9th in the league.

Here, he noted that, they registered past their target due to strategic location of Kintampo. 530,509.00 cedes was to be mobilized but 571,712.00 cedi’s was mobilized. He alluded to the switch from the Biometric Authentication to the No-Biometric Authentication using *842# on all network.

The Public Relation Officer then conducted a sensitization on the use of the mobile renew system and cautioned that the NHIA had no personnel on field carrying out the mandate of renewals and thus all should be weary of such imposters. He indicated that, they look forward to liaising with the department of social welfare to register the vulnerable, intensify education on electronic renewals with civil society organizations and organization groups, liaising again with the Municipal Assembly to provide vehicle for field work and deploying staff to provider sites.

The NHIA was not without challenges in their operations with occasional bad network, delay in claims reimbursement, co-payments by some providers, and delay in consumable supply, printer breakdown of office vehicle as key among the challenges.

Service providers presented called for a review of the drug price list and a greater review of intrinsic issues regarding health insurance.

Mr. Abraham Num (PRO) doing his Presentation

Some also tried to justify the menace of “co-payment” with the Regional Director-NHIA calling for a total clamp down on the menace.

There was also a call for the review of tariffs which had not been done for three (3) years. Some individuals at the meeting also questioned the additional charge in premium when using the mobile renewal platform and called for the additional of some major ailments. Clarity was given that, the above were service charge and 95% of Out-Patient Department (OPD) cases in hospitals in Ghana were covered by the scheme.

Hospitals Administrators employed all to demand receipts for all other monies charged at the premises of all service providers. All these interactions took place during the open forum drawing the meeting to a close.