Delay in issuing NHIS cards hampers health care delivery

Delay in issuing NHIS cards hampers health care delivery

November 30, 2009
Tamale, Nov. 30, GNA - A survey conducted by SEND-Ghana, an international NGO, had revealed a long delay in the issuing of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) cards, which is affecting health care delivery in the country, especially the poor.

Mr Mahamud Mohammed, Programme Officer of SEND-Ghana said most people who registered with the NHIS have had their cards delayed for about six months and even sometimes a year, which he said prevents such people from accessing health care during the period, even though they have registered.

Mr Mohammed was delivering a research finding in Tamale conducted in the three northern regions and twelve districts in the Greater Accra Region.

He also revealed that the staff manning the health insurance offices was small and hampering the quality of work.

He said although the NHIS faces some difficulties, it was an improvement over the Cash and Carry system of which about 79 per cent of the poor cannot access health care due to the cost involved.

Mr Mohammed said the Health Insurance Scheme, which was introduced in 2003 with the view of providing health care to the people, had addressed some of the financial barriers in the health delivery.

He therefore called on the stakeholders in the NHIS to improve the system and the quality of health care provided.

GNA