Revive NHIS - Bawumia tells new board

Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has tasked the incoming board of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) to use their experience and expertise to prevent the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) from its current steady crawl towards a cash and carry regime.

Inaugurating the 17-member board in Accra, Dr Bawumia urged the new board to put their minds and effort into service so that, together with government, the NHIS is saved and resuscitated.

He reminded them that the scheme had faced significant challenges in recent times and urged them to ensure that the NHIS was better managed to deliver improved healthcare services.

He said President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo had a clear vision for healthcare stressing that the government would ensure that the resource envelope was made available and was properly spent for the benefit of patients.

Dr Bawumia reminded the board members of the responsibility to chart a policy direction that would recommend the decisions the government must take to improve the NHIS.

He stressed that the board members had been carefully selected based on their expertise and urged them to endeavour to live up to the task so that the President’s vision would be realised.

The board has Professor Yaw Adu-Gyamfi, a nominee of the President, as the Chairman.

The members are Dr Sylvester Yaw Oppong, Madam Joyce Zimpare, both of whom are government representatives; Dr Samuel Yaw Annor, the Chief Executive Officer of the NHIA; Mr Kingsley Aboagye-Gyedu, representing the Ministry of Health and Dr Dennis Addo from the Department of Social Welfare.

Others are: Ms Lydia Lariba Bawa, the National Insurance Commissioner; Mr Kwasi Ampadu-Kissi, representing the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), Dr Isaac Charles Noble Morrison, representing the Medical and Dental Council; Professor Christian Agyare, a representative from the Pharmacy Profession and Mr Kwasi Asante from the Accountancy profession.

The rest are: Ms Abena Osei-Asare from the Ministry of Finance, Dr Anthony Nsiah-Asare, from the Ghana Health Service, Madam Anna Pearl Akiwumi-Siriboe, a legal practitioner; Dr Nicholas Ankomah Tweneboa and Vahandi-Naa Dr Mohammed Nantogmah Mahama, both health professionals, and Rev. Richard Kwasi Yeboah, representing organised labour.

Prof. Adu-Gyamfi, on behalf of the board members, thanked President Akufo-Addo for the trust reposed in them and pledged that they would work to help the President realise his vision.

“We promise not to disappoint the nation,” he assured, adding that members of the board were aware of the daunting challenges confronting the NHIA, citing arrears in reimbursement, huge funding gaps, poor claim management, high administrative costs and the need to revise the organisational structure.