Nana Addo’s claim of settling GHC 1.2bn NHIS debt false – Akandoh

The Ranking Member on Parliament's Health Committee, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has described President Akufo-Addo's claim of settling a GHS1.2 billion debt owed health service providers by the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) as false.

The President at the meet the press encounter with journalists yesterday asserted that by settling the debt his government had successfully tackled the 'cash and carry' system which plagued the country's health sector in the past.

However, in an interview with Citi News, Mintah Akandoh said the amount the President mentioned does not correspond with the figures presented to Parliament.

“I recall in the encounter with the press, he [Nana Addo] also made a point that he has paid GHC 1.2 billion to the National Health Insurance Fund and that he had cleared the arrears they inherited. This is palpable falsehood. It is not true. We prepared the formula for the National Health Insurance every year and I have in my hand the document they presented to Parliament

“They prepared this document that they came to inherit about GHC 177, 579,000, this is what they brought to Parliament so how can you go back and say you have paid about GHC 1.2 billion. Where did you get that money?”

NHIS woes
The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), has long held that the Scheme had   run out of funds   to operate.

Health insurance service providers have notably been complaining about arrears owed by the National Health Insurance Authority.

The Health Insurance Service Providers Association of Ghana in February 2018 threatened to return to the cash and carry system if arrears owed its members by the NHIA were not paid.

The Association said most of its members were owed about 20 months of claims.