Health professionals undermine NHIS at Akim Oda hospital

Akim Oda, Jan. 14, GNA - Negative activities of some health professionals at the Akim Oda Government Hospital have been found to be undermining the smooth operation of the Mutual Health Insurance Scheme in the Birim South District, Mr Obeng Darkwa, the District Scheme Manager has disclosed.

"Nurses at the Anti-Natal Unit take money from Health Insurance Clients whenever they visit the Unit", Mr Darkwa alleged at the Birim South District General Assembly meeting on the NHIS at Akim Oda on Friday.

He alleged that drugs were being prescribed to some clients to be bought outside the facilities, adding that dispensary attendants intentionally refused to dispense the prescribed drugs to some of the insurance holding patients.

Mr Darkwa also alleged that a client was asked to pay for the surgical operation she underwent at the hospital but following a report made to the hospital's management later, the 500,000 cedis paid was refunded to the patient.

He further alleged that some health professionals, especially nurses, attitude towards Health Insurance clients was not encouraging "to the extent that some of them remarked that the Insurance Scheme will not survive."

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on telephone, the Hospital Administrator, Mr Gyamfi Yeboah, described the allegations as "only a perception but not a reality".

He said when allegations concerning the Anti-Natal Clinic came to their notice, they took over the running of the place from the District Health Management Team (DHMT).

On the prescription of drugs, Mr. Yeboah explained that there was a national Drug List, adding that patience who might have prescription outside that were asked to buy them.

He, however, gave the assurance that Management would take up the matter and see how to deal with the situation, and asked the public not to entertain fears but to go ahead and register with the scheme. Earlier addressing the District Assembly, the District Chief Executive, Mr Frank Kwame Busumtwi, had announced that 19,069 had so far registered with the scheme out of an estimated population of 192,270 people.

He, therefore, appealed to Assembly Members to assist in educating their electorate on the need to register with the scheme for them to be assured of ready health care whenever they fell sick.