Stop paying NHIL into Consolidated Fund – GMA urges gov’t

The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) wants government to immediately halt the payment of the National Health Insurance Levy (NHIL) into the Consolidated Fund.

President of the Association, Dr Frank Ankobea at a conference said the practice is having serious effects on the operation of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

“Government should take immediate steps to ensure direct transfer of NHIL to the NHIL account at the Bank of Ghana (BoG) and stop the current practice of paying the NHIL into the Consolidated Fund.”

Dr Ankobea says the Association also wants government to suspend using NHIA funds for other purposes and explore additional funding sources, including the use of heritage taxes from natural resources, tourism and taxes on goods and services to bridge the funding gap in health care financing.

All these requests are contained in a communiqué by the GMA.

The GMA also called on government to “as a matter of urgency review its policy of monopolising the purchase of core drugs by health facilities from central and regional medical stores.”

Dr Ankobea said the practice has a result in the acute shortage of some essential medicines in health facilities around the country.

According to the Association, it is mindful of the impact of health financing in the country and their impact on health service delivery.

It fears the collapse of the NHIS and has, therefore, called on health service providers and the NHIA to improve gatekeeping roles to prevent double claims, payment for undelivered services and over-invoicing.

“NHIA should take the necessary steps to fix right and realistic tariffs,” Dr Ankobea said.

The GMA also called on government to take steps to ensure that all health workers are free from the risk of personal injury or damage in the course of their work or while on lawful duty.

They also want government to put measures in place to reduce risk and hazardous trends in hospitals across the country.

source: Myjoyonline