Govt called to Subsidize Essential Drugs under Health Scheme

Dr. Saarah Akyerekoh, the Medical Director of Owusu Memorial Hospital at Tonsuom Estate in Sunyani, has called on the government to subsidize essential drugs to private Medical Institutions mandated to treat patients under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

He observed that acquiring essential drugs under the Scheme has become a major problem to the private medical operators since they do not have enough money to purchase them.

Speaking to SpaceFM in Sunyani, Dr. Akyerekoh appealed to the government to supply private medical institutions with the drugs to help sustain the scheme.

He noted that three (3) days after the inclusion of six recognised private medical institutions into the operations of the Sunyani Municipal Health Insurance Scheme, attendants at his hospital has increased tremendously.

Dr. Akyerekoh stated that, at the moment his hospital does not encounter any problem as a result of their inclusion, but said the only major problem has to do with how they could get enough funds to purchase enough essential drugs under the scheme in stock since it will be unfortunate to refer patients to buy drugs from certain outlets else where. He called on his colleague medical directors who have similar mandate of treating patients under the scheme to ensure that they purchase the essential drugs while they wait for government's assistance.

He pointed out that malaria tops diseases being treated, followed by diarrhoea and excessive coughing in children since his hospital started treating patients under the scheme.

The medical director called on fellow directors to be wary of pharmacists they employ to dispense drugs since they deal directly with human life.

According to him, the least mistake a dispenser makes in line of duty may lead to some form of complications on the patients.

Dr. Akyerekoh urged those who have not registered with the scheme to do so since it is the best way to access quality health care.