The Catholic Standard is concerned about the difficulties, frustrations and anxiety surrounding the operations of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) in Ghana and the huge debts owed facilities of the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG).
It is unfortunate that the NHIA’s indebtedness is making health care delivery inefficient and ineffective because health facilities can no longer afford the needed logistics for the health needs of patients.
One of our front page stories indicates that NHIA owes CHAG facilities over GH¢ 100 million for services rendered to National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) Clients, spanning over eleven months, a situation we see as uncalled for.
The non-payment of these debts could affect basic healthcare services to mothers, children, the aged, poor, needy and the marginalised.
It is unfortunate that thirteen years into the operation of the Scheme, it is inundated with several challenges, notably, the chronic indebtedness to Health Service Providers, the unrealistic and uneconomic tariff structure and fees determined and paid by the Authority.
All of this is exacting a heavy toll on the capacity of Service Providers to provide quality healthcare to clients.
According Mr. Peter Yeboah, Executive Director of CHAG, the Clinics and Hospitals of the Association have gone beyond their endurance limit. It is on record that Faith-Based Institutions, for example the Catholic Church, pioneered the Scheme at Nkoranza and Damongo and so possess the necessary experience to help redeem the Scheme from its present sordid state.
We are making a passionate appeal to the NHIA to immediately pay the debts owed the Service Providers to prevent a total collapse of the Scheme.
