Health Workers Attitudes Threaten NHIS - DCE

Navrongo (UE) Nov.4, GNA- The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Kassena-Nankana, Mr. Emmanuel Chegeweh, has described the attitudes of some health workers attending to the clients registered under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) as very appalling. He made the observation during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the District's Mutual Health Insurance Scheme in Navrongo at the weekend.

The DCE said most of clients of the Scheme were not given the appropriate treatment and noted that some health officials prescribed very expensive drugs whereas there were cheaper substitutes for the same ailments.

Some patients were also denied drugs with the pretext that the drugs were unavailable at the health facilities and instead given prescriptions to buy drugs from unapproved chemists who refused to recognise the health insurance card, he added. The DCE indicated that these situations were hampering the smooth operation of the Scheme and discouraging would-be clients from registering.

Mr. Chegeweh also expressed displeasure about the abuse of the Scheme by some clients who pretended to be sick and attend health facilities for drugs on behalf of non-registered relatives or friends. He appealed to the people to desist from such dubious acts or when caught, would be made to face the full rigours of the law. He observed that with the introduction of the NHIS, many people now sought health care at the various health facilities thus increasing pressure on the few health workers and urged them to cope with the situation whiles conditions were improved upon gradually. He announced that in bid to ease the problem, the Assembly was sponsoring more student nurses for training courses as well as medical students who would, after completion, work in health institutions in the District to augment the staffing situation.

Mr. Chegeweh added that in order to decongest the few health facilities in the District, the assembly had for the meantime constructed 27 community health post compounds out of the 40 planned for the District.

The DCE noted that when all the projects were completed it would help bring health care closer to majority of people living in the area, and urged traditional rulers and assembly members to encourage people to register with the NHIS.