National Health Insurance Authority flouts review of drug tariffs
Cape Coast, June 24, GNA – The acting Central Regional Deputy Director of
Clinical Care, Alhaji Alanga Yamyolia has urged the National Health Insurance
Authority (NHIA) to urgently review the tariffs on the drugs list to conform with
current prices on the market.
He said even though the law establishing the NHIA required quarterly review
of tariffs, this had not being done, leaving the various schemes to pay old prices
for pharmaceutical products.
Alhaji Alanga made the call at a meeting in Cape Coast to review the first
phase of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and to chart a new
course for the take off of the second phase.
He explained that review of the tariffs does not necessarily mean automatic
increases in prices since some drugs could be reviewed upwards or downwards
in line with the current prices.
He asked the Authority to adhere to its own laws and ensure that the proper
thing was done to ensure fairness among the various schemes and service
providers.
Alhaji Alanga enumerated a number of challenges facing the scheme, such as
inadequate information on the new billing system, lack of training for staff and
collaboration between trainers and trainees on the Information, Communication
and Technology (ICT) systems of the various schemes.
Mr. Emmanuel Badu, Regional Manager of the NHIA, said the first phase of
the NHIS dealt mainly with the various schemes and service providers and that
the second phase would focus on using ICT components to enable all
Ghanaians, irrespective of their location to access health care.
He said the workshop was therefore intended to enable all stakeholders to
collectively discuss their individual challenges and together come out with
concrete solutions to improve upon health care delivery.
Madam Ama Benyiwa-Doe, Regional Minister noted that government
appreciates the work of the NHIA and expressed optimism that with consensus
building, it could address challenges facing the scheme.
GNA