UER Poised to Achieve Universal Health Coverage By 2030

By Samuel Akapule

Bolgatanga — The Upper East Regional Director of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Mr Sebastian Alagpulinsa, has observed that the pragmatic policies and programmes being pursued by the directorate, is going to make it the first to achieve the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by 2030.

The Regional Director, who made this observation at the 2019 Mid-Year Performance Review Meeting of the scheme held in Bolgatanga, on Friday , mentioned that all the interventions initiated by the Regional Directorate was making the scheme more robust and results oriented.

He cited for instance that, out of the second quarter membership target of 369,368, the scheme registered 295,358 representing 80 per cent and also registered 72,374 as against an indigent target of 38,210 representing 189 per cent.

The Regional Director also indicated that the mobile renewal solution was also well patronised in the region, and announced that out of the target of 98,460 to be enrolled via the mobile renewal system, 107,363 members renewed their cards using the system, representing 109 per cent.

"For example, we have mobilised GH? 2,988.814.00 out of the second quarter target of GH?2,994,905.00, roughly representing 100 per cent for the period under review," he stressed.

Mr Alagpulinsa added that with the effective management under the new Chief Executive of the Authority, Dr Baaba Dsane Selby, all hospitals have been reimbursed up to August, and health centres and CHPS compounds have also been reimbursed their claims up to October 2018.

He assured the stakeholders that management was working hard to ensure that all claims owned to the service providers are paid up to date, and also indicated that resourcing of the districts and the regional office have received major boost.

The Regional Director indicated that the achieved indicators could contribute to the attainment of the UHC, but was quick to mention low registration of School Feeding pupils, illegal co-payments at the provider side, inadequate motorbikes to reach remote communities to register new members, as some of the challenges confronting the operation of the scheme.

He, therefore, underscored the need for policy reforms and amendments of the NHIS Act 2012 to make the membership of the scheme compulsory, as in the case of Korea, so as to speed up the agenda to achieve the UHC in Ghana.

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