NDC cannot be written out of NHIS success story – Dr. Sammy Ayeh
Government Communications Team Member, Dr Sammy Ayeh, has defended the National Democratic Congress’ contribution to the development of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
He said the NDC played a significant role in expanding the scheme beyond its original district-level limitations during the administration of former President John Dramani Mahama.
Dr Ayeh also argued that the current legal framework governing the NHIS was introduced under the Mahama administration through the National Health Insurance Act, 2012 (Act 852).
Speaking on Channel One TV’s Breakfast Daily on Wednesday, October 7, Dr Ayeh said the NPP deserves credit for introducing the original National Health Insurance framework under former President John Agyekum Kufuor, but the NDC subsequently expanded its scope.
“You know that the current law we are even using under the National Health Insurance Scheme was brought in place by President John Dramani Mahama in 2012 under Act 852. Of course, nobody has any qualms if some sort of credit is given to the NPP government under President Kufuor in 2003 because they brought Act 650,” he said.
He explained that the earlier district mutual health insurance arrangement meant that beneficiaries were largely restricted to accessing healthcare within their respective districts.
According to him, the passage of Act 852 unified the scheme and allowed NHIS cardholders to access healthcare services across the country.
He further claimed that the Mahama administration expanded NHIS benefits to cover people with mental health conditions, as well as introducing additional benefits for women and children.
“So, it was Act 852, the new law, which unified the National Health Insurance Scheme and made it universal to a point where, so long as you hold a National Health Insurance Scheme card, you can access healthcare anywhere around this country,” Dr Ayeh said.