Pastor wants NHIS privatised

The Head of the Church of Pentecost Incorporated in the United States of America, Apostle Albert Amoah, has appealed to the government to privatise the management of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

This would help check the misappropriation of funds, as well as ensuring the sustainability of the Scheme.

He said, “If the government is managing the scheme, there is the tendency of Ghanaians, or staff, abusing and robbing it of its intended aim of giving free medical care to the benefit of needy Ghanaians.”

Apostle Amoah gave the advice during the donation of $20,000 to the NHIS, to complement government's effort in transforming the health sector.

“We received a letter from the National Secretariat, for Ghanaians in the Diaspora to help in providing affordable healthcare for Ghanaians back home,” he revealed.

He said the Church of Pentecost responded promptly, and SOS messages were sent to over hundred branches, operating in 37 states.

Apostle Amoah intimated a substantial amount was raised with “My immediate family contributing $800 for the next three years.”

The Chief Executive of the scheme, Mr. Ras Boateng, noted that the donation was the largest since the inception of the scheme.

Explaining, the Chief Executive said the scheme had been appealing to Ghanaians in the Diaspora, to help in the transformational process of the scheme.

He said the establishment of the scheme was a redistribution of wealth by government, to ensure that Ghanaians accessed free medical care.

Mr. Boateng emphasised that the highest premium, the scheme had paid on a patient since its inception, was GH¢9,500.

He noted government exempted 62% of the population from paying premium, and now children below the age of 18 years had also been exempted.

Mr. Boateng disclosed that the money would not be dump into government chest, where it would be difficult to access, but in a separate account, and beneficiaries would be selected from the ten regions of the country.

He added that appropriate documentation, on how the money would be disbursed to needy Ghanaians, would be made available for the perusal of the church, so as to ensure transparency.