General News
News | Sports | Entertainment | Nigeria Films | LifeStyle | Blogs | References


OBUASI NHIS BLACKLISTS NEIGHBOURHOOD HOSPITAL… Over alleged fraudulent practices

By Albert Nana Asante, Obuasi - Ghanaian Chronicle
Mon, 04 Aug 2008 | Print | E-Mail | PDF | Graphics Version
Health

THE OBUASI Office of the National Health Insurance Scheme has placed an indefinite suspension on the Neighbourhood Hospital, one of the facilities of the scheme, for unacceptable clinical practices.

The office has also cited fraudulent means, submission of exorbitant claims, and prescription of drugs that are not relevant in the treatment of certain diseases.

At a press briefing, held at the Obuasi Municipal Assembly on Thursday, the Chairman of the Board, Mr. Richard Paa Kwesi Cromwell, said all these practices by the Hospital authorities, were contrary to the Ghana Health Service (GHS) treatment standards.

He told journalists in plain words, “the Board of Directors of the Obuasi Health Insurance Scheme have realized that the Neighbourhood Hospital is milking the scheme, and we will not sit down unconcerned, hence our decision to suspend the facility.”

Mr. Cromwell explained that a report on vetting of claims from facilities, by a committee set up by the scheme, revealed that out of all the 17 facilities, the Neighbourhood Hospital had the tendency of derailing the scheme.

“Indeed, statistics presented in December last year, show that out of the total attendance of 1,721, which includes adults and children, 935 patients were given 28 tablets of Diclofenac Suppository each, representing 54 per cent of the entire attendance.”

He, again, disclosed that in February this year, 452 out of 1, 815 clients, who visited the Neighbourhood Hospital, were given Diclofenac Suppository, representing 33 per cent of the total attendance.

He has, therefore, appealed to all clients of the scheme, not to seek medical care from the hospital, since it had stopped its operations with the latter.

The Ashanti Regional Coordinator of the National Health Insurance Scheme, Mr. Theo Owusu Ansah, on his part, said similar charges had been levelled against the same health facility, by district offices of the scheme, at Adansi North, Adansi South and Bekwai.

“As I speak to you now, the Bekwai District has submitted claim forms from Neighbourhood Hospital for audit, following suspicion of fraudulent practices in the forms.”

When the Public Relations Office of Neighbourhood Hospital, Mr. Kofi Agbeko Leh, was contacted on phone, he said the hospital had not received any official charges from the Board, as far as the suspension was concerned, and therefore could not comment on the issue.

He went on further to indicate that it was not this reporter, who would come out with allegations against the hospital, as far as its operations with the National Health Insurance Scheme were concerned.

Meanwhile, pieces of information, picked up by The Chronicle, indicate that the Obuasi Municipal Assembly had set up a committee to go into the suspension issue.

In a related development, a number of pressure groups have appealed to the Board of Directors of the Obuasi NHIS, to reconsider its decision, and bring the Neighbourhood Hospital back into the scheme.

One of such groups is the Concerned Patients of Neighbourhood Hospital.

In a letter addressed to the Chairman of the Board, under the heading 'Appeal To Reconsider the Suspension of Neighbourhood Hospital from the NHIS,' and chanced upon by the paper, the group stressed, “we members of the above-mentioned group of Obuasi, humbly wish to appeal to the highly respected Board Members, and the entire stakeholders of the Obuasi Mutual Health Insurance Scheme, to reconsider the legitimate decision made by the Board, to suspend Neighbourhood Hospital from the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).”

The letter had Mr. Paul Atsonglo, Alhaji Ibrahim Gibirin, Nana Kwabena Ponkor II, Nana Kwadukesie-Ko II, Mr. Solomon Mensah and Baba Alhassan Adamu, Founder and Director, MBC, (Chairman), Chief, Obuasi Zongo, Chief, Kunka Junction, Chief, Kwabekwa, Manager, Trapeq Company Limited and Assemblyman, New Nsuta, respectively as signatories.

“Though it may be argued that there are other health facilities in the township, to provide health service to us, and the other affected persons, who have registered with the scheme, we likewise strongly believe that the majority of the people, like us, who consider Dr. Sarkodie as our personal doctor, are frankly not happy with the Board's decision.

“In a case of this nature, we have no other options, than to pay for our medical treatments, though we are registered to the scheme.”

Recipients of the appeal by the group included the Acting Obuasi Municipal Chief Executive, Ashanti Regional Director, (NHIS), Scheme Manageress (OMMHIS), PRO, Neighbourhood Hospital and Dr. Eric K. Gyasi-Sarkodie, Medical Director, Neighbourhood Hospital.

All trademarks and copyrights on this page are owned by their respective owners.