Chief Executive Officer for the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye has disclosed that over 80% of hospitals in Ghana currently survive on the periodic payment NHIS dishes out to them.

He recounted this in a media engagement with Sompa News Reporter Eric Annan at Elmina following the grand commissioning of an ultramodern District Office constructed by the NHIS for the good citizenry of Komenda Edina Eguafo Abirem (KEEA) constituency in Central Region.

Addressing the rampant complaints often received from patients over the extravagant bills some hospitals charge them even with the NHIS card vehemently cautioned hospitals to swiftly refrain from such acts.

He noted, the Scheme due to this abnormality has set out a nationwide co-payment committee (illegal charges committee) to report from District levels any healthcare facility engaged in such an activity to the NHIS secretariat to protect the ordinary Ghanaian.

Dr. Okoe Boye remarked the NHIS in its contractual terms with various Health Insurance approved hospitals has with them a credential bias certification which accords the Scheme to withdraw its services should such hospital engage in any illegal activity, he added no such hospital can afford to lose whether government or a private hospital as this NHIS funds helps in keeping their facilities running.

The NHIS boss, however, stated his outfit is never afraid in slashing any evidentially culpable health facility with the necessary punishment befitting it whether big or small.

On benefits covered by the NHIS, the CEO notified that plans are far advanced to have men within the country go for a free prostate test to know their status with regards to prostate cancer.

Meanwhile, the maintenance culture of the beautiful edifice beseeched staff at the KEEA NHIS office to do everything humanly possible to keep the newly constructed project brand new at all times.

Source//Sompaonline.com/Eric Annan