Restructuring of NHIS on course - Health Minister

Winneba (C/R), Nov. 25, GNA - Mr Alexander Segbefia, Minister of Health, has called on health service administrators to support the seven- member technical committee that has been put in place to undertake the restructuring of the National Health Insurance Scheme exercise.

Mr Segbefia made the call in a speech delivered on his behalf at the 39th Annual General Conference of the Association of Health Service Administrators, Ghana in Winneba in the Central Region.

The conference was on the theme 'Performance Management; A Tool for Equitable Compensation in the Health Sector,' and was chaired by Neenyi Afrona I, Effutu Gyatuahene on behalf of Neenyi Ghartey VII Paramount Chief of Effutu.

He said the restructuring of the scheme is the first, since it was established over a decade ago and it is to ensure its financial sustainability as it enrolls more beneficiaries.

He said there is the need for all and sundry to support the technical committee to bring about the much needed changes that would improve health service delivery generally and financing healthcare in particular.

The Minister said in line with the Government's agenda to deepen administrative decentralisation of the health sector, a draft-health Service Bill has been developed.

When the bill is passed into law, the health service at the district level would be part of the district assemblies as envisaged under the decentralisation concept.

On health infrastructure Mr Segbefia said, the provision of health infrastructure remains a key commitment of Government and the objective is to bridge geographic gap in access to health service nationwide.

He stated that, in this regard, the Government has committed substantial resources to construct new hospitals and polyclinics as well as rehabilitate existing health facilities.

He disclosed that a good number of projects are on construction and are at various stages of completion and mentioned Euroget Project under, which would deliver eight new hospitals under construction.

Mr Segbefia listed Bekwai Hospital, Ridge Hospital Expansion Project, Police Hospital Expansion project, New Military Hospital Project in Ashanti Region and New Teaching Hospital project at Legon as some of the undoing projects.

He said as Government provides the needed health infrastructure, it is the responsibility of the health administrators to ensure that these facilities are well maintained to service their clients.

He therefore charged them to critically examine how they would improve their performance as administrators by contributing more effectively to improve service delivery.

He commended them for their bold decision to bring on board discussions on linking performance to compensation, and for their high sense of responsibilities and dedication to service, which has endeared most of them to their colleague health workers.

Dr Sam Tetteh Quashie, Regional Director of Health Service Health and Mr Collins Yawson representative from the Fair Wages Commission were among personalities who addressed the conference.

GNA