Missionary Hospitals will treat NHIS patients

Missionary Hospitals in the country have rescinded their earlier decision to suspend medical services to National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) cardholders.

The action follows the intervention of Health Minister Sherry Aryeetey who promised that money owed the hospitals would be paid by this week.

Despite the suspension of the threat to withhold services to NHIS cardholders, the missionary hospitals are giving limited services pending the fulfillment of the minister's promise.

The Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG), the mother body of 183 missionary hospitals nationwide, last week announced its medical facilities will not continue to provide services to NHIS cardholders effective Monday, March 11, 2013.

The association said the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) owed its members over Gh¢50 million as at January, 31, 2013.

The leadership of CHAG initially rejected a plea by Health Minister Sherry Aryeetey asking that intended action be withheld while efforts were made to pay the hospitals their claims.

But speaking on the Super Morning Show Monday, Communications Consultant to the NHIA, Eric Ametor-Quarmyne disclosed that CHAG had reconsidered its action because of proof of a firm commitment that the accounts of the hospitals would be credited latest by Wednesday.

He said the Authority’s Finance division last Friday started the process of releasing funds to the accounts of the hospitals.

According to him, the NHIA reached a deal with the CHAG leaders over the weekend, who agreed to withhold Monday’s planned action and communicate to its members the progress made so far.

However, Nhyira FM’s Ohemeng Tawiah reported from the Kwadaso SDA Hospital, which is a missionary hospital in the Kumasi metropolis that not all cases were being attended to.

According to him, a circular posted on the hospital’s notice board had instructed medical officers to only attend to only patients already on admission as well as maternity and emergency cases.

The circular, dated March 8, 2013 and signed Dr. Gilbert Buckle read: “You are hereby informed that; (1) All emergency cases should be treated under the NHIS (2) All deliveries should also be treated under the NHIS (3) All inpatients currently on admission before 11th March, 2013, should be treated under the NHIS."

It added that: "Members will be informed or advised if and when to accept NHIS cards for all other services”.