Ensure success of health insurance scheme - services providers told

Yendi (N/R), May 24, GNA - Mr Mohammed Habib Tijani, Yendi District Chief Executive has said that the success of the National Health Insurance scheme would depend to a large extent on the quality of services rendered by service providers. He therefore, urged service providers "to discharge their duties diligently, dispassionately and professionally with a touch of human feeling".

Mr Tijani was speaking at a four-day workshop on "Mutual Health Insurance Scheme" (MHIS) organised by the Yendi District Assembly in collaboration with Partners for Health Reform Plus (PHRPLU) an NGO, for 110 health care providers in the Yendi District at Yendi on Monday. Participants at the workshop would among other things, discuss topics such as quality assurance, the role of service providers, risk and risk management and the National Health Insurance Law, Act 650.

The DCE told the health providers to draw lessons from the problems associated with the cash and carry system and use the experience gained to facilitate the implementation of the mutual health insurance scheme. Mr Tijani announced that between July and August this year, the government advanced 300 million cedis for the implementation of the scheme in the district.

Mr Konlan Lambongang, the Northern Regional Coordinator of PHRPLU stressed the need for a well-trained staff and well-organised management to ensure successful operation of the scheme.

He advised the service providers against malpractices such as cheating, impersonation and the making of fictitious claims. 24 May 04