Minister Bares Teeth At TUC

The Minister of Health, Dr. Kwaku Afriyie, has expressed shock over the entrenched position taken by the Trades Union Congress (TUC).

This is over the government's decision to deduct 2.5% of workers' social security contributions as seed money to support the National Insurance Health Scheme (NIHS).

He disclosed that it was unfortunate for the TUC to consistently oppose the scheme, describing it as a social engineering service, which was being introduced by the president to replace the obnoxious cash-and-carry system.

Expressing his disgust, the minister contended, "They are saying that they don't understand? If they do not understand, me Kwaku Afriyie, I also do not understand them. So please tell those who want to torpedo that my president is resolute and I am also determined to carry out his instructions," he charged.

Presenting the statement on the health situation at the NPP annual National Delegates Conference in Cape Coast at the University auditorium, Dr. Afriyie refuted their claims that the initiation of the NIHS was piloted by the NDC. "This is a historical fallacy and must be corrected," he pointed out, stressing that, the NPP had initiated the NIHS in their manifesto before they won power.

He further stated that a survey conducted after the introduction of the cash-and-carry system showed that the per capita income of Out-Patients-Department (OPD) attendance dropped from 1.9 per centum per head in early 1992 as compared to 0.3 per centum per head in 2000.

To this, the minister argued that the introduction of the cash-and-carry system has changed in every significant manner, the health seeking behaviour of Ghanaians.

Dr. Afriyie added that, in order to facilitate the smooth implementation of the NIHS, the president has filed a memo to all DCEs, urging them to also midwife health activities into sound implementation.

According to him, even though the membership of the scheme is not only compulsory, it is also open to all residents. The membership is solely by contributions from the SSNIT deductions from the formal sector.

Explaining the roadmap, the minister noted that the President had set up a ministerial oversight committee, which includes the ministries of Finance, Information, Local Government & Rural Development, Manpower & Development and Health.

He lamented the introduction of the cash-and-carry system, which has instead created the perverse outcome in the health care delivery system, adding that the way and manner such monies were collected left much to be desired.

Dr. Afriyie again expressed shock at how health workers, for inexplicable reasons, failed to implement the policies, which were the exemptions, to mitigate the cash-and-carry system.

Giving the historical parallel of the proposed scheme to replace the cash-and-carry system, the minister lauded the bold initiative of Otto Von Bismark, a German, who initiated the system in the 18th century.

He said the legislative instrument of the NIHS was analysed by a steering committee and was ready to be submitted, adding that the minimum premium and accreditation has also been completed. The minister assured that a massive public education would be embarked upon next year.

On his part, the national chairman of the NPP, Haruna Esseku, advised members of the party aspiring for positions to go according to the tenets of the party's constitution. He said this in reaction to incidents of hostilities between aspiring parliamentary candidates and sitting MPs over the primaries to be held in all the constituencies. He noted that these hostilities have yielded violence and it was a disgrace to the party and undermined its integrity.