The Chief Executive of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Dr. Victor Asare Bampoe, has charged staff to rally behind the Authorityβs vision of achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in the country.
According to him, supporting the Authorityβs vision, by making the MahamaCares initiative and free primary healthcare a reality in the pursuit of UHC, would strengthen the scheme, improve health outcomes, and reduce out-of-pocket payments.
Dr. Bampoe made these remarks while addressing staff at a durbar in Koforidua on Monday, as part of his three-day working visit to the southern belt.
He is expected to visit the Volta and Oti regions as part of a broader nationwide initiative to engage with stakeholders and assess the operations of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
Dr. Bampoe emphasized the critical role the NHIA plays in achieving UHC, which is built on three pillars: geographical coverage, service coverage, and financial coverage.
βAnd we are the ones responsible for the financial side, so the bigger-picture vision is to make sure that in all ways, we support the Presidentβs vision to give Ghanaians proper UHCβensuring that all citizens have access to quality healthcare without facing financial hardship,β he added.
As part of this broader vision, Dr. Bampoe said the Authority is also expected to ensure that clients, healthcare providers, and patients have the best experience when they interact with the healthcare system.
He noted that eliminating out-of-pocket payments and ensuring that only genuine claims are paid is crucial, adding that increased funding could lead to fraudulent claims if proper safeguards are not in place.
βSo, we need to make sure we fight this. And for me, if at the end of this administration we will be remembered for anything, I want us to be remembered for trying our best to remove those fraudulent claims and out-of-pocket payments. Itβs really important to do,β he said.
Dr. Bampoe reiterated the Executive Managementβs commitment to prioritizing staff welfare, stressing that opportunities in terms of capacity building, travel, and others are being decentralized.
He therefore entreated the staff to redouble their efforts in advancing the Authorityβs agenda, saying collective action would be instrumental in realizing the Authorityβs vision of a healthier nation.
βThe government has done its part; he promised to uncap and has uncapped, so it behooves us to ensure the Presidentβs vision is realizedβand that we also benefit from it,β he stated.
The Regional Director, Mr. Frank Addo, commended the Chief Executive for his leadership and assured him of the commitment of the district and regional management teams to support the initiatives and work collaboratively to drive the Authorityβs agenda forward.
He outlined some challenges faced in the region, including infrastructure deficits, logistics, and human resource constraints, and called on Executive Management to help address them to ensure the effective delivery of healthcare services in the region.
Staff were also given the opportunity to share their views and insights on resolving persistent challenges faced by the NHIA, including the issue of illegal charges by providers, commonly referred to as co-payment.
The visit continued to the Koforidua Regional Hospital and the Omanhene of the Koforidua Traditional Council, Daasebre Kweku Boateng III, where the CEO engaged with them to discuss his vision and explore ways of improving the scheme in the region.
Source: Vivian Arthur
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