National Health Scheme should enforce district health insurance schemes-

MHO

Sunyani, (B/A) Aug. 10, GNA - Brong-Ahafo Network of Mutual Health Organisations has suggested that the proposed National Health Insurance Bill should enforce existing district health insurance schemes for strengthened effectiveness and accountability. This was contained in a memorandum from the board of directors and managers of Mutual Health Organizations (MHOs) as their views on the National Health Insurance Bill to the joint Parliamentary Committee on Health and Finance.

The memorandum noted that the district schemes were already on the ground, "where ultimate power and ownership of the schemes are localized and vested in members, who are ensuring effectiveness and accountability in conformity with the country's decentralized administrative concept". The proposed health insurance bill should place emphasis on stakeholders' active participation, with the government providing initial financial and technical guidance for growth over a period of time, it added.

Mr. Philip Akanzinge, Brong Ahafo Regional Co-ordinator of Health Insurance Schemes presented highlights of the memorandum at a day's public forum in Sunyani, organized by the Parliamentary Committee to solicit public support for the passage of the Bill into law.

The memorandum proposed that the Bill should encourage all districts and communities to organize themselves into MHOs and groups that would be able to do so must be given government support.

The Bill should ensure that MHOs have sufficient self-regulations that are enforced by members and should aim at promoting their efficient and effective working.

The memorandum stressed the need for the bill to make MHOs very independent from governmental control whilst discouraging the formation of private ones because of their likelihood of being abused by crooks and swindlers.

"A good health insurance bill should aim at addressing the entire country's disease burden and improving the whole health sector in terms of quality and efficiency for the control of cost-escalation phenomena, which is common with health insurance implementation worldwide.

"The issue of equity and government support for the poor and vulnerable should also be considered but must be guided by the current burden of payment of exemption funds and effectiveness as well as the ability of government to continue to pay for sustainability".

In another memorandum, Civic Union of Techiman, comprising 60 Associations, called for a special levy on alcoholic beverages and cigarettes to support the NHI seed fund.

The Union added that a percentage of the MP's share of the common fund could also be channelled into the NHI fund to reverse government's intended decision to deduct two-and-a-half percent of workers SSNIT contributions as the NHI's seed fund. 10 Aug 03