Heath Insurance would enhance healthcare - Osafo Maafo

Accra, Aug. 19, GNA - Mr Yaw Osafo Maafo, Minister of Finance, on Tuesday said the National Health Insurance Bill (NHIB) when passed into law would strengthen government's hand in providing proper healthcare for the people.

He said government would not give in to those, who are using various means to keep the cash and carry system in operation. The Minister was speaking at the second reading of the National Health Insurance Bill in Parliament.

He said the National Health Insurance was a major campaign promise that had to be delivered to keep the trust and faith the people have in the government.

"In any case, it is the obligation of government to make sure that the Ghanaian was not anxious about his or her health whether in employment or out of it."

He said the two-and-a-half per cent that would be taken off the 17.5 per cent being the monthly worker and employer contribution to the pension fund would not collapse it.

The Minister said a prudent investment of the 15 per cent would keep the fund intact.

Mr Osafo Maafo said most countries in Africa have pegged their contributions at fifteen per cent and yet their pensions have not suffered.

He said the major problem government had with the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) was its long chain of bad investments and avoidable losses.

The Finance Minister said with prudent investment, SSNIT could turn its 3.9 trillion cedi assets into a very viable fund.

Mr Kweku Afriyie, Minister of Health, said the irony with the passage of the Bill is that a government known to have a capitalist orientation was promoting a measure that was rooted in socialism. He said the scheme would shift the balance of power in healthcare in favour of the poor and the afflicted.

"It is a visa that would take Ghanaians to the land where they would experience equity, risk pooling, equalisation and the real sense of humanity."

Mr Felix Owusu Agyepong, the Majority Leader, said government had decided that Ghanaians must live before they die.

"We have come to serve Ghana and not here to do politics. The NDC which is opposed to the well-being of the people should not be given the leadership role in the future."

He said credit must be given to Parliament and not the Executive for the processing of the Bill because the Leadership and members in Charge of it had worked hard to make it a reality.