Current state of NHIS is very frightening – Dr. Anane

A former Health Minister in the erstwhile Kufuor administration, Dr Richard Anane is dumbfounded by what he says is the mismanagement of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

According to him, the current state of the NHIS is the direct result of the politicisation of the institution by the ruling government over the past four years.

Dr. Anane’s comment comes in a wake of the withdrawal of services by some healthcare providers over government's failure to pay arrears owned them.

The Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) was the first to withdraw its services on Monday to NHIS cardholders even though government promised to pay it debt on Monday.

Dr. Richard Anane, who is also the ranking member on the Parliamentary Sub-Committee on Health, on Asempa Monday, said more of the healthcare providers will withdraw their services if government does not expedite action to remedy the situation.

He intimated that hospitals in the Upper West, Northern and Eastern regions have issued notices not to attend to NHIS cardholders if government does not pay up its debts.

The Nhyiaeso MP condemned the politicisation of health delivery in the country and warned that if nothing was done about the situation, the NHIS will collapse.

He recalled how the NPP flagbearer, Nana Akufo-Addo in the run up to the 2012 electioneering campaign was vilified by members of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) including staff of the Authority for pointing out some loopholes in the NHIS.

Dr. Anane urged the directors and staff of the Authority to defy all odds and be truthful to Ghanaians about the true state of the NHIS for a lasting solution to the problem.

"The current state of the NHIS is very frightening and the earlier government does something about it, the better for the poor subscribers who depend on it," he added.

The former Health Minister want the running of the scheme depoliticised to save it from imminent collapse.