Invoicing irregularities at NHIS must stop – Minister
Government’s resolve to financially sustain the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) can only be achieved if the challenges of over and under invoicing and duplication of supply chain functions are reduced and eventually eliminated.
Joseph Nii Laryea Afotey-Agbo, Volta Regional Minister, said the issue of poor storage facilities and conditions of critical health commodities should also be addressed.
He made this known when he opened the 6th Annual Conference and Continuing Professional Development Programme of the Health Service Supply Chain Practitioners Association, Ghana (HESSCPAG) in Ho on Thursday.
The two-day conference is on the theme: “Supply Chain Challenges Facing the Acceleration of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 4, 5, 6.”
Nii Afotey –Agbo said if the issues are not tackled they could affect the attainment of the MDGs and urged stakeholders in the health sector to put strategies in place towards the elimination of these negative practices.
He said members of HESSCPAG they have a very vital role to play to successfully execute strategies, through continuous professional education, peer review mechanism, team work and partnership.
Nii Afotey-Agbo urged members of the Association to be abreast of all supply chain rules and regulations to be on top of their jobs.
Dr Ebenezer Appiah-Denkyira Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) in a speech read on his behalf tasked the Association to come out with innovative ways in an effort to address the challenges within the supply chain system.
He said the GHS had put in place a “league table” to assess the performance of facilities and individuals within the service in an effort to reward hardworking ones.
Dr Joseph Teye Nuertey, Regional Director of GHS said the MDG could not be achieved by one group of health professionals, hence the need for collaboration.
Mr Franklyn Yamoah, President of the Association said members are involved in risk taking, including health hazards from chemicals, although their conditions of service of members are not the best.
Togbe Anikpi III, Chief of Ho Heve, who chaired the function urged the Association to be professionally upright and also add value to their work.
Source: GNA