Minister urges health insurance scheme Managers to deepen public education

Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, Eastern Regional Minister, on Monday challenged mangers of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to deepen public education on the negative effects of abusing the system.

“You need to take up the responsibility to explain to the people that it would do the scheme a lot of damage if they continue to abuse the system,” he stressed.

Mr Ofosu-Ampofo, who was interacting with the scheme managers in the region at his office, charged personnel in the Information, Communication and Technology department to update their knowledge to forestall future abuses.

He advised them to serve with integrity and to resist any temptation to manipulate the system to get rich quick, which may land them in trouble in the long run.

Mr Ofosu-Ampofo reminded the personnel of the critical role they play in the health delivery system and urged them to live up to expectation.

He advised them to put the national interest above partisan politics and to do their work diligently to achieve results.

Mr Ofosu-Ampofo appealed to workers in the public sector not to allow their political affiliations to undermine the implementation of government policies and rather discharge their duties with high level of loyalty.

He gave the assurance that the government was not out to witch hunt anybody adding that its major priority is the welfare of the people.

Mr Ofosu-Ampofo said when the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) was in opposition it never opposed the implementation of the NHIS.

He said it was the NDC that introduced the system on pilot basis in 1995.

The regional minister said the NHIS was a good programme, adding that government was committed to deepen the process to ensure its success.

Mr Collins Danso Akuamoah, Regional Manager of the NHIS, listed some challenges facing the scheme in the area, as lack of office accommodation, delays in re-imbursement of capital and abuse of the scheme by card bearing members.

Source: GNA