Ghana: Congo Learns From Country’s Health Insurance Policy
July 21, 2011 – 11:06 pmThe delegation on Tuesday, June 21, 2011, called on the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Mr. Sylvester Mensah at his Ridge office, where they were taken through the genesis of the country’s Health Insurance policy.
Key among the issues, during the two-hour discussion on the country’s Health Insurance Policy, include the financial status of the NHIA, which is the main implementer and regulator of health insurance policy in the country, how the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) is being run in the country, challenges confronting the NHIA, aims and ambitions of the NHIA as well as its strategy and future policy for beneficiaries under the scene.
Among the members that accompanied Mr. Bayi include J.M. Chrysostome Lou Bassou, Social Security Advisor at the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Anthony Hodges, Oxford Policy Management, Alfred Kiakouada, Dr. Alfred Ibouanga, Martin Iwana and Bikouya Pierre, Minister of Planning.
Mr. Bayi in his address to officials of the NHIA said their mission to Ghana was to promote the spirit of South-South cooperation between the two countries (Congo and Ghana).
According to him, the Congolese government has put in place a health insurance for all citizens, hence the need to come to Ghana to gain deeper understanding of the country’s health insurance policy, which has become a beacon of hope for many governments in the African continent and beyond.
So far, about 13 countries from around the world have visited Ghana to learn at first hand its health insurance policy, which was instituted in 2003. Congo’s visit is the third time in this year that a nation or organization has visited Ghana to learn from its national health insurance policy.
Bangladesh was the first to visit Ghana this year, and was followed by the United Nations University.
Mr. Sylvester Mensah in his opening remarks told the Congolese delegation that there is no country anywhere in the world today that can claim to have a social health insurance scheme that can be said to be a model for all countries to emulate.
According to him, the world is currently charting a course in social health insurance to ensure a financial risk protection through the introduction of social health insurance schemes. “This is simply a policy of ensuring provider-payer…as a way of ensuring accountability and efficiency,” said Mr. Mensah.
Mr. Mensah said due to pragmatic measures put in place for beneficiaries under scheme, Ghana was the proud recipient of a global award initiated by the United Nations, the World Bank and the World Health Organisation for running an excellent health insurance scheme in the world.
However, Mr. Mensah was quick to caution that the country’s health insurance policy was not the best in the world since it has so many obstacles confronting it. He said with determination and perseverance as well as the right technical team and political will, the NHIA shall overcome all the challenges confronting it.
A twenty-minute power point presentation that summarizes the operations of the NHIA on where it is now, what they are doing, and whether the organization is happy or not was shown to the delegation to help them make informed decision. The delegation will inspect some health centers in the Ga Damgbe West and will leave the shores of Ghana on Sunday, June 26, 2011.
The National Health Insurance Authority (Authority) was established under the National Health Insurance Act 2003, Act 650, as a body corporate, with perpetual succession, an Official Seal, that may sue and be sued in its own name. It operates three types of schemes namely; District Mutual Health Insurance Scheme, Private Mutual Health Insurance Scheme and Private Commercial Health Insurance Scheme.
The object of the Authority is to secure the implementation of a national health insurance policy that ensures access to basic healthcare services to all residents.
Currently, over sixteen million Ghanaians are beneficiaries of the Health Insurance policy. The NHIA in 2010 spent GH Â394.27 million on disbursements for claims payment.
Mrs. Yuri- head of legal, Ben Yankah- head of Actuary, Mrs. Adelaide Gunatah, Deputy Director for claims, Francis Andoh, Deputy Director of Strategy, Dr. Grup Shank, Chief Internal Auditor and Ahmed Moro, Director of Finance at the NHIA were all present to lend their support to Mr. Mensah.
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