Do not destroy SNIS – Minister of Health

General News of Sunday, June 16, 2019

Source: ghananewsagency.org

2019-06-16

Mr. Kweku Agyemang Manu, Minister of Health, asked the health services staff to help make the National Health Insurance Plan (NHIS) more efficient and prevent it from going bankrupt.

He noted with concern that the program was not working as it should, with cost-sharing problems, but badured that the ministry "was trying to make it work".

"Let's all give priority to health insurance. It has to be made effective now, but the regression affects its effectiveness and stakeholders need to do something about it, "said Agyemang Manu during a working visit to the Volta region.

The minister said that co-payments, unusual fees billed for the lab and some other bad attitudes have discouraged people on treatment for HIV, diabetes and other chronic diseases from seeking regular care.

"When you charge health cards to people, you sabotage health insurance penetration efforts. Let us stand up and support the government's efforts to tackle health care, "he said earlier when he met with staff at Hohoe Municipal Hospital.

Mr. Agyemang Manu also mentioned the referral of patients to private facilities, as well as the creation of artificial drug shortages covered by the for-profit scheme, and said such practices were depriving the state of revenue.

He said that the NHIS were a major intervention in achieving universal health coverage, hence the commitment of the government of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to "dramatically" reduce the arrears that the Service owed to health facilities.

"The current situation is much better than what we have come to meet," he said, adding that the government, despite the enormous legacy of the past, had successfully subsidized health and education training. other interventions, in particular; housing projects for medical students.

Mr. Agyemang Manu and his entourage, heads of some of the Ministry's departments and agencies, stakeholders, convenors and partners in the provision of health care, visited health facilities and health facilities. training under the Ministry.