The Minority in Parliament has expressed concern over what it describes as a gradual return to the cash-and-carry system in Ghana’s healthcare delivery, blaming it on the recent inactivity of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
According to the caucus, the NHIS has been largely non-functional for nearly two months, forcing patients to pay out of pocket for medical services that should be covered under the scheme.
Raising the issue on the floor of Parliament, Second Deputy Minority Whip Jerry Ahmed Shaib said the breakdown is worsening the financial hardship of citizens and restricting access to essential healthcare.
“As we speak, the NHIS has not been working for close to two months. People must pay before they receive care. The system links have been deactivated, and we’ve effectively reverted to the cash-and-carry system,” he lamented.
In a statement issued on Sunday, October 26, the NHIA assured the public that it is working with the Ministry of Health and other stakeholders to restore full system functionality as soon as possible.
The Authority also directed all NHIS-accredited healthcare providers to continue serving patients without interruption, urging them to use the Claims Check Code (CCC) mobile platform as a temporary alternative for processing claims.
