Inexplicable rise in hospital attendance affects NHIS - Official

Adadiem (B/A) Aug. 23, GNA - Mr. Joseph Mensah Scheme Manager of the National Health Insurance Scheme in Jaman North District of Brong Ahafo, has warned that the inexplicable steady rise in hospital attendance by registered members of the scheme in the area could lead to its collapse. He called for immediate and adequate measures to curb the situation, which he described as "unbearable."

Mr. Mensah spoke at two separate durbars on the prevention of maternal mortality, community involvement, held for the Chiefs and people of Adadiem and Duadaso and environs by the Jaman North District Health Directorate.

He attributed the "abnormal" high attendance to ignorance, saying within the first week of operations early this month, 738 members out of

30,150 registered members sought medical attention at the various designated health centres, clinics and Sampa Government Hospital.

"The understanding of the people is that since they are covered with their families, as soon as a family member falls sick, all the family members would troop to the health centre to seek medical attention."

Mr. Mensah added that the district scheme lost 29,162,920 million cedis within a week of operations and warned that since the attendance kept on increasing daily, the figure might rise to about 200 million cedis.

He called for pragmatic efforts to check the situation.

Mrs. Florence Gyasi Nketia, District Public Health Nurse, said certain strategies, including quality antenatal services, family planning services, prevention of unsafe abortion and supervised delivery, had been put in place to ensure zero tolerance for maternal mortality.

She commended the Government for the supervised delivery procedures and called on women to avail themselves of the golden opportunities the exemptions granted by the government offered.

Miss Elizabeth Obah, District Chief Executive, asked the people to take advantage of the government's absorption of basic school fees and enrol their children in schools next September.

Mr. Mensah Sanyo, Board Chairman and Assembly Member for Adadiem-Jinini on behalf of the people thanked the government for the establishment of a clinic in the area.

Mr. David Nyarko, District Disease Control Officer, who gave a talk on TB infection, said tuberculosis control and cure, which were far below the national target should be taken seriously due to the high rate of HIV prevalence in the area owing to their proximity to Cote d'Ivoire.