The Minority in Parliament is warning of the imminent collapse of the National Health Insurance Scheme.
According to the Minority, the impact of the law that caps funds that flow into the National Health Insurance Fund and the non-settlement of claims are bringing the health sector to its knees.
The Ranking Member on the Health Committee of Parliament, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, addressing the press, called for the immediate payment of NHIS arrears.
The minority also appealed for some restraint from the protesting service providers.
The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) had earlier raised concerns over the government’s failure to promptly pay National Health Insurance claims to health facilities across the country.
The association said the issue of a delayed payment of claims needs to be addressed with immediate effect to avert the possibility of reverting to the ‘cash and carry’ system.
The Health Insurance Service Providers Association of Ghana (HISPAG) threatened to withdraw some of its services from March 2020 if arrears owed its members by the government through the National Health Insurance Scheme is not paid.
Meanwhile, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, speaking to some Ghanaians in Norway as part of his 12-day working visit to Europe has described the NHIS as strong and robust.
In line with the protests, the Chamber of Pharmacy Ghana says it will continue to enforce its decision not to supply medicines on credit to National Health Insurance accredited health facilities.
According to the Chamber, it will only rescind its decision until service providers pay their debts in full. It resorted to this course of action to forestall any potential repercussions on the companies under the Chamber, from the delayed reimbursement by the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) through the Health Service Providers.
Source:Fiilafmonline/CitiNews
