Chamber of pharmacy threatens again…

The Ghana Chamber of Pharmacy has served notice it is withdrawing its supply of drugs to health facilities that rely on the National Health Insurance Scheme by August 1 due to huge indebtedness.

The Pharmacy chamber is owed some nine months of arrears by the Christian Health Association of Ghana and the Health Insurance Service Providers Association.

Their threat is the second of its kind after the chamber threatened to withdraw its services from NHIS health providers by February 10 for some nine months of unpaid arrears.

Earlier this month, the Christian Health Association (CHAG) withdrew services to subscribers of the NHIS because managers of the scheme are indebted to mission hospitals in excess of Ghc50 million.

The service providers say the NHIA owes them in excess of seven months service to NHIS clients and are struggling to raise the needed funds to pay for pharmaceutical supplies.

The head of research at the Ghana chamber of Pharmacy, Stanley Adjei is of the view difficulties members of the chamber are going through will make it impossible for the chamber to supply drugs on credit beyond two months to NHIS subscribers.

He says even though the service providers have informed them about the schemes inability to pay them; they will no longer be able to cushion the loss they have incurred.

Stanley Adjei is calling on the government to as a matter of urgency, intervene and save the situation.