GUAHCC urges Govt to remain focused on affordable health care

The Ghana Universal Access to Health Care Campaign (GUAHCC) has appealed to the Government to inject more resources into the health sector to motivate the personnel and improve accessibility to quality health care.

It should also work towards the provision of modern health facilities, improving structures at the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and ultimately making health care free at the point of delivery.

Mr. Sidua Hor, National Coodinator of GUAHCC, made the appeal at a news conference in Accra.

The GUAHCC is a national campaign driven by a network of local and international NGOs, including the Alliance for Reproductive Health Rights (ARHR), ISODEC, Essential Service Platform, SEND Ghana, and Coalition of NGOs in Health.

Its objectives include advocating for the Government to implement a clear plan for the removal of all user fees to make healthcare free at the point of use by 2015.

The news conference was to react to a report submitted by the World Bank on the scheme to the Government titled: "Health Financing in Ghana at Crossroads", in which it stated that the NHIS Basic Benefit Package (BBP) was financially unsustainable, therefore, the Government must consider cost-sharing to continue providing the comprehensive BBP.

In addition, the report recommended the use of co-payments for some covered services and sections of the population as a strategy for increasing NHIS revenue and directing utilisation towards more cost effective services.

However, Mr. Hor said GUAHCC, wanted the Government to remain focused in providing quality and accessible healthcare to Ghanaians.

Mr. Hor said the World Bank report failed to mention which services or medicines should attract co-payment.

The report expressed dissatisfaction that the NHIS was highly subsidised and about 46% of the 65% of registered members who were exempted from premium payment, belonged to high income groups and could be drawn in to pay premium.

Mr. Hor, however, said the GUAHCC was reiterating the call for structural reforms of the NHIS, particularly, towards a stage where the scheme would be funded largely through tax regimes to make it more sustainable and universal for everyone.**