Govt’s GH¢50m budgetary allocation to NHIS insignificant – Akandoh
The Ranking Member on the Health Committee of Parliament, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh says the government’s recent budgetary allocation to the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) is inadequate to defray the debt owed various health institutions.
According to him, government owes the scheme GH¢2 billion in arrears from 2021.
Speaking to Citi News, the Juaboso MP called on the Minister of Finance to make timely releases to the scheme.
“If you owe gh¢2 billion, and you release GH¢50 million, it is quite insignificant. I have a list of health facilities that are being prosecuted because they have refused to pay their employees’ contributions because NHIA is owing them.”
The Minority in Parliament has been complaining that the government has failed to fulfil its obligations to providers since July 2021.
This has been taking a toll on the sustenance of the insurance scheme.
Health Service Providers on the National Health Insurance Scheme have also bemoaned the delay in the disbursement of claims by the government for services they have rendered under the scheme.
The amount is part of the budgetary allocation of the scheme for the year.
Earlier in May, the Minority Caucus in Parliament bemoaned the effects of fund capping and the undue delay in releases to the scheme for its operations.