Re: NHIA Boss Did Not Insult Doctors

Reference is hereby made to a story, which appeared in the 12th November 2012 edition of the Daily Guide newspaper and on Ghanaweb, captioned “NHIS Boss insults doctors.”

I wish to put on record that this allegation is false. I did not insult doctors at the conference or at any other time. Indeed, I have no reason to do so and would never do so under any circumstance.

This allegation follows a pattern of falsehoods and misleading statements circulated in the media, and calculated to denigrate the NHIS under its current stewardship and cause public disaffection for political gain. Ostensibly, this is in line with NPP electioneering strategy.

In fact, I am aware that a grand scheme has been hatched by a section of the media sympathetic to the NPP to intensify attacks on my person and on the NHIS, and these are just a few of many more to come.

The facts of the matter are that on Saturday, 10th November, 2012, at the Ghana Medical Association (GMA)’s 54th annual general conference, an encounter was organized with political party representatives during which presentations were made by the parties. In a presentation, the representative of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), a former Chief Executive of Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), Prof Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, reiterated the now familiar NPP tagline that the NHIS is dying, and that the current high and increasing utilization of healthcare services on the NHIS, rather than implying growth and increasing public confidence, meant that Ghanaians were getting sick more often and that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government was causing the NHIS to collapse.

In a rebuttal, I countered that rising utilization during the tenure of the NPP administration from about 5 million to 12. 5 million between 2007 and 2008 was considered a positive indication that the Scheme was growing. I contended that in a similar vein, the logic still holds that the further rise in utilization from 12.5 million to 25.4 million between 2008 and 2011 is evidence of the growth and expansion of the NHIS, particularly as mass registration programmes across the country among other things had increased membership of the Scheme.

I added that the argument by Prof. Frimpong-Boateng was illogical and contrary to reason and smacks of ‘mental imbalance’ over the matter. It must be clear that this comment was in reference to the imbalance or illogicality of the argument of Professor Frimpong-Boateng.

It was not intended as an insult or to disparage any personality or group of persons or institutions. It would be preposterous to impute any such intentions to the statement, albeit uttered in the heat of a passionate rebuttal. It had absolutely nothing to do with doctors as has been alleged.

When therefore, an objection was raised to the use of the phrase, ‘mental imbalance’, I promptly withdrew the statement even though l still maintained that his analysis of utilization was illogical.

It ought to be pointed out that this was an engagement between political party representatives at a forum organized by the GMA. The arguments were between the representatives of the parties. The attempt by NPP activists to manipulate the episode and to misrepresent it as an insult to the GMA and doctors in a smear campaign to cause disaffection at various levels for political purposes, should be seen for what it is – mischief for political gain.

I wish to reiterate my respect and regard for medical doctors and clinicians generally for the difficult circumstances under which they deliver healthcare. I am aware that rising utilization numbers without a corresponding expansion in health infrastructure further compounds the difficulties of our doctors, a situation which is already engaging the attention of the President Mahama administration.

It is sad that NPP elements in the GMA are extending their political passion into an inter-party discourse to the detriment of the integrity of the respected association. None of them has ventured into the substantive issue of the interpretation or misinterpretation of growing utilization as a performance indicator. Regrettably, the respected professor also fell into the incoherent and unbalanced tagline of the NPP propagandists.

The NHIS is a national institution in which all residents of Ghana have a stake. It does not belong to any political party and should not be abused for political ends. The incessant attacks on the NHIS and its Chief Executive are deplorable, morale-sapping, and undermining public confidence in the scheme. We should all be proud of the fact that the scheme is expanding and has been improving under the stewardship of the NDC government and will continue to do so in the light of current reforms. Thank you.

--signed--

Sylvester A. Mensah,

Chief Executive,

National Health Insurance Authority, NHIA