Health facilities threaten to boycott NHIS

Juaben (Ash), May 5, GNA- The Authorities of hospitals, clinics and other health institutions in the Ejisu-Juaben District of Ashanti are threatening to put on hold, services it renders to national health insurance cards holders.

This is as a result of the refusal of the District Mutual Health Insurance Scheme to pay the accumulated claims to the health facilities plunging them into severe financial difficulties.

The Scheme currently owes the Juaben government hospital a total of GH¢105,296.95 being the unpaid claims for the first quarter of 2008. It also owes the Tikrom clinic GH¢9,000, Kwaso clinic GH¢3,000 as well as other clinics several amounts of cedis, which were not immediately made available to the GNA.

Mr Francis Boadu, Administrator of the Juaben government hospital, who spoke to the GNA on the issues, said the huge indebtedness by the district health insurance scheme, was making it difficult for the hospital to replenish its stock of medical and other supplies. In addition, suppliers are also putting pressure on the hospital authorities demanding their monies.

Mr Boadu pointed out that all efforts made to collect the claims had proved futile, since the scheme authorities had refused to respond to their demands and at the same time refused to give tangible reasons for the delays.

Sources at the District Health Directorate and Health Insurance scheme confirmed the indebtedness to the health facilities in the district, but could not give reasons for the problem. However, Mr Kofi Worae, District Scheme Manager, speaking to the He rather questioned the reason behind the complaints from the health authorities and asked why they did go public out in times when the Scheme was promptly paying claims to them.