Wassa West Mutual Health scheme growing fast

The Wassa West Mutual Health Insurance Scheme (WWMHIS) with over 50 percent subscriber penetration has been described as one of the fastest growing schemes in the Western Region.
Mr Emmanuel Reinfred Okyere, Western Regional Manager of National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) who said this at the fourth Annual General Meeting of Scheme at Tarkwa, noted that the Scheme was able to pay GH¢1,071.65 as cost of medical bill for a single member.
He said the NHIS undoubtedly, remained the best and most secured welfare package that the state is providing and all Ghanaians must give it the needed support.
Mr Okyere said the NHIA has reviewed the tariffs payable to healthcare providers to meet current economic trends as well as expanded the medicinal list.
Mr John Ankomaning Board Chairman of WWMHIS said so far 83,853 have benefited from the scheme.
He said common diseases often reported at health facilities in the region are malaria, respiratory track infection affecting all age group and hypertension affecting mostly the aged. Hernia cases have also rose for the 2007 year under review.
Mr Ankomaning said of the about GH¢1,643,793.84 claims that were received for the year 2007, GH¢52,744.95 was rendered as invalid claims.
He said due to the growing number of subscribers, the Scheme's office have to be relocated and upgraded to meet the new technological platform to be introduced by NHIA.
Mr Ankomaning called for an increase in the subsidy allocation for the exempt category and the administrative support funds.
Again he called for expedite action on the proposed new tariff.
Mr Francis Adjei, the Manager of WWMHIS said with the scheme, good and quality health care are accessible and affordable saying, the old syndrome of no money no health care was gradually dying.
He said statistics showed that the insured clients were more than non-insured clients.
Mr Adjei said the scheme aimed to attain 100% coverage by the year 2012 and as at December 2007, it had registered 53% out of a District population of 245,000.
“Even though there are teething problems including delay in paying providers and lack of absolute portability, the scheme in conjunction with National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) is working hard to improve the situation,” he added.