NHIS failure part of a frustrated system – Fmr. Health Minister Afriyie

A former Health Minister, Dr. Kwaku Afriyie, says the failure of Ghana’s Health insurance scheme was part of a wider broken system.

The NHIS, he says, had brighter prospects when it took off but has since lost its mojo.

He told Fiifi Banson on Anopa Kasapa on Kasapa 102.3 FM that the current structure was nothing to write home about, suggesting it is part of a failed health Insurance system.

65-70% of consumers of health he said are in the informal sector, but added that the Authority is losing the expected quota from the category to benefit its operations.

“We are not operating an insurance system in the health sector. NHIS funding has three major components; levies collected, SSNIT contribution and the Informal sector contribution.

“It is obvious government is playing politics with the informal sector, with the dramatic reduction of the contribution from this category.

“In my view, the one term premium doesn’t make sense, and the Mass registration as well. We designed unique approach system to start the health system, today risk equalization and other useful determinants have all faded in the system as a result of politicization.”