By Elizabeth Baah, GNA
Accra, July 29, GNA – The National Health Insurance Scheme has come to stay but more is needed to be done to ensure that it attains its full potential, respondents to a survey conducted by the Ghana News Agency say.
They said the main challenge is the role played by some health care providers whose efforts do sometimes mar the effectiveness of the Scheme.
« The NHIS was very beneficial to me when I was pregnant; it covered my antenatal care fee amongst others. The problem is that it doesn’t cover the needed drugs and this is a big challenge, « Madam Adepa, a hairdresser, said.
Others claimed they were abused, charged illegal fees and experienced needless delays at some service providers.
The respondents said the NHIS covers hospital cards, the bed provided when on admission, and some drugs.
They said the drug category was, however, limited and it included few drugs like paracetamol, multivitamins and others one could easily afford.
Madam Matilda Mathias Tetteh, a student of All Nations University College, said « although the NHIS is very useful, it covers less expensive drugs which I can afford. Sometimes health care providers do not attend quickly to those with NHIS holders but are in a hurry to attend to people who have money and this is a bad habit ».
« I think the NHIS is principally beneficial to pregnant women as it covers antenatal care, bed fee and other medical requirements, » Madam Masa, Trader said.
« I was sent the hospital quite recently and the nurses refused to administer some medications on me because the money I had wasn’t enough and the NHIS did not cover my health concerns. I got there around 0100 hrs and they came to my aid around 0400 hrs when someone brought money, » Jennifer Asiedu, a business woman, said.
More can be done to address the various challenges and if this means increasing the amount of money paid the NHIS, we should be ready to accommodate it, Louisa Donkor said.
GNA
PDC
