NHIS in trouble for donating GHC250,000 into COVID-19 Fund

The National Health Insurance Scheme has become a subject for scrutiny amongst concerned stakeholders and a section of Ghanaians for willingly, without any pressure at all, donating a staggering GHC250,000 ($43,242) into the COVID-19 Trust Fund.

This gesture comes off as a mere act of benevolence from the health insurance providers in times of crisis but a further probe by concerned persons reveals a rather worrying development.

Notable amongst these concerned stakeholders are the Minority in Parliament and the Private Health Facilities Association of Ghana (PHFAG), who claim the health service providers are in no position to indulge in acts of kindness, considering the fact that, they have been engulfed in debt to its health providers.

According to the Private Health Facilities Association of Ghana (PHFAG), the development is heart-wrenching considering the fact that the NHIS owes members of the association huge amounts of money.

They claim the NHIS owes them arrears in claims from mid-2019 to date.

The president of the group, Samuel Boakye Donkor is quoted to have said in an interview, “It is really something bad and painful. You owe us from last year July to date. Others have not been paid for 14 months. We just heard that the government has given you money to pay us and you have given that money back to the government saying it is your cooperate social responsibility… I recently sent a claim from February 2019, and when you had some money, you’ve gone to give to the COVID-19 Fund, what kind of life is this?”

The Minority in Parliament through its spokesperson on health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh on the other hand, has heavily castigated the NHIS for the untoward act.

They claim the NHIS has no justification whatsoever for depriving service providers their due arrears yet displaying wealth on national television.

“Government had already siphoned about GHS 390 million from NHIA in the 2020 budget, besides the huge indebtedness to NHIA. It’s therefore inappropriate that NHIA largely known to be financially bleeding could cough up that amount as a donation when you’re still owing service providers,” Mr Akandoh said in an interview.

As though to build a firewall to ward off envisaged critics, the CEO of the NHIA, Dr. Lydia Dsane-Selby while donating the amount in question said it was a needful gesture in this period of COVID-19 which forms part of their Corporate Social Responsibility.

But a section of the public who also didn’t find the act enthusing took to their various social media handles to question the wisdom behind the NHIS’ decision.

Below are some concerns and reactions raised by some Twitter users:

I think the Ghana National #Covid19 trust fund should return the money donated by the NHIS.
We are tired of hospitals calling about unpaid claims and how it is affecting their operations. ???????????

— Abena Nyamekye Ampadu. (@AbenaNyamekyeA) April 22, 2020

#NHIS donates Ghc250,000 to the Covid-19 fund?? Jesus Christ, help us. I can't think far! ???????????? pic.twitter.com/PYApmA6jWh

— Peter Doe Jnr ???????? (@PeterDoeJnr1) April 22, 2020

Malaria has killed many people because their NHIS cards could not get them effective treatment at medical centers all because NHIS owes service providers.
Meanwhile NHIS is contributing money worth 2.5 billion cedis to gvts fund to fight Covid19 which has killed 9 people so far

— Osman Salim Wa (@OsmanSalim6) April 22, 2020

A Hospital needs just the ghc50,000 on top of the ghc250,000 to pay their drug suppliers to remain in business but NHIS has donated x5 of it????????????

— Seyram Komla Bullion (@sey_degenius) April 22, 2020

We have lost our thinking caps. NHIS donating to Covid-19 Fund. Hahaha Hahaha Wo hahaha hai hai hai woyiyi???? pic.twitter.com/AG7qZfdC3g

— Excel for life (@ElvisKwakuAtta) April 22, 2020

The same NHIS that is owing various service providers to the extent where common paracetamol isn't NHIS covered has got enough to donate.Dear Service providers,over to you. Money is there paa,don't listen to any excuse.@tabi_henry @AnatuBogobiri @CheEsquire @Dorsty1R pic.twitter.com/1FZ3JVTVzu

— BosomeNkronBa (@nkron_ba) April 22, 2020

This is what I was talking about.
NHIS donate Ghc250,000.00 (2.5Billion old Cedis) meanwhile Health Service Providers threatened to withdraw their services over none payment of claims just this February, 2020.

Does this make sense ?

Such a Banana Republic. pic.twitter.com/y0AzFLqdy6

— Mahmudkabore (@Mahmudkabore1) April 22, 2020

I just remembered the NHIS made a GHS250k donation to the COVID19 Trust Fund today....when it still owes facilities for unpaid claims....which they need to buy supplies....to fight COVID19.

ABLE GOD!

— Nana Kofi Quakyi (@nkquakyi) April 22, 2020

How amazing it is to learn that NHIS has donated an amount of ...into the COVID-19 fund but has since (2019) not paid its service providers.

Isn't it desirable to take one step at a time?

This reminds me of an Akan adage which goes like; w)y3 ma ohia annsa w'ay3 ma )fata. pic.twitter.com/JBaJlmdmHs

— Oilcity Masquerades (@ahotor2015) April 22, 2020

Eeeeiii eeeii @NHIS_Ghana you people don't angry us.. u no reimburse us and u r donating...

— Pius Appiah (@pius_quesi) April 22, 2020

Hospitals are complaining they have not been paid and you find it prudent to give out this money in the name of donation. NHIS should be ashamed of themselves. @Manasseh_Azure @BBSimons @niiafoteyquaye @CheEsquire #Ramadan2020 pic.twitter.com/nq8ZfBrmx1

— derrick abotsi (@derrick_abotsi) April 22, 2020

NHIS donate Ghc250,000.00 (2.5Billion old Cedis) to the COVID-19 fund. Meanwhile,the same NHIS owes it Health Service Providers billions to the extent that they recently threatened strike.

Misplaced Priority.
Government of No Vision.
Common Sense Missing. pic.twitter.com/Vi3amcFk5A

— Mahama Godwin (@mahama_godwin) April 22, 2020