Stay away from active partisan politics-NHIA boss counsels workers

The Acting Upper West Regional Manager of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Yakubu Aminu has called on staff of the authority to stay away from active partisan politics.

He stated that as civil servants they are barred from taking part in active political engagements.

Mr. Yakubu made the call at the mid-year performance review of the National Health Insurance Scheme in the Upper West Region.

He said there is a perception out there that the staff of the authority are seriously engaged in active politicking which has generated a lot of mistrust and suspicion amongst staff and does not promote goodwill among them.

Mr. yakubu also stated that the impasse between the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) and the Ghana Health Services (GHS) regarding the ownership of some facilities is affecting the operations of these facilities and appealed to the two parties to resolve their differences.

''Our clients are those who stand to lose if the dispute is not resolved,'' he added.

The Upper West NHIA Acting Manager stated that for the period under review (January-June), total inflows to the Schemes in the region amounts to GHC4, 685,762.04 of which GHC 3,732,035.38 representing 80% are direct transfers from the NHIA.

The other sources are proceeds and reactivation fees mobilized by schemes, premiums and support from other stakeholders including District Assemblies.

He said across the region a total of 49,635 new members have enrolled on the scheme. He stated that a total of 140,884 have renewed their membership.

''As the close of June 2012, 387,430 representing 53% were active members of the NHIS in the region. I dare say that over 90%of the region's population has one time or the other registered with the scheme,'' he insisted.

In order to improve the quality of care and minimize if not eliminate fraud, Mr. Yakubu said the NHIA has established a call centre where providers and clients can call in to 18hours a day(6am-12midnight) to lodge complaints and report incidents of suspected fraud and poor quality of care.

The call centre number is 0544446447 or 6447(Vodafone and MTN only).