Accra, Nov. 24, GNA - Nii Armah Ashietey, Greater Accra Regional Minister, on Tuesday urged managers of the Mutual Health Insurance Scheme to evolve strategies to improve upon enrolments in the scheme.

He said the current total enrolment of about 49.4 per cent of residents of the Greater Accra Region as at October 2009, was very discouraging, considering the uniqueness of the region, which had 88 per cent of its population living in the urban communities and on 12 per cent living in small rural communities. Speaking at the opening of a two-day strategic seminar for Greater Accra Regional staff and District Scheme Managers in Accra, Nii Ashietey said there was the ne= ed to embark on a vigorous advocacy and education campaign aimed at highlighting the benefi= ts of the scheme

and making it more attractive to clients. He said government was aware of the numerous challenges under the scheme, which

include delays in the issuance of Identity Cards, reimbursing providers, fraudulent activities

on the part of some staff and providers, non-availability of some essenti= al medicines on the

Medicine List, poor quality of service at some provider facilities and lo= w staff morale. Nii Ashiettey said government was committed to ensuring support to Primary Health Care

with particular reference to community health planning and services, exte= nd, expand and

equip hospital facilities, localise most medical treatment and keep the c= ost of health care

down to a minimum to make the scheme beneficial to its clients. The seminar under the theme: "Delivering the NHIS Promise," would afford participants

an opportunity to assess the performance of the scheme in their various localities, come up

with ideas and strategies to improve with a view of actualising governmen= t's policy of

reforming the Scheme and ensuring access for all through the introduction= of a One-Time

Premium payments. Nii Ashietey acknowledged challenges such as the current low health profile of

Ghanaians, which are characterised mainly by the prevalence of poor nutrition, poor

environmental sanitation and unsafe water supplies. Other disturbing features of the health scene that signal worry are the persistent high

morbidity resulting from preventable diseases, low access to modern healt= h care among the

poor, low and declining public health expenditure and disparities in acce= ss to health facilities. The Regional Minister said his outfit was ready to partner with all the Mutual Health

Insurance Schemes in the region in addressing their challenges. Mr Nathaniel Otoo, Director, Legal and Administration, National Heal= th Insurance

Authority (NHIA), said there were 145 registered Mutual Health Insurance Schemes (MHIS)

in the region adding that the Authority had given full accreditation to 6= 18 health facilities and

provisionally recognised 4,000 public and 1,551 private health facilities= as service providers. He complained about the issues of fragmentation and autonomy of District Mutual Health

Insurance Schemes, standardisation and governance, claims administration,=

delays in

submission of claims by providers, misapplication of tariffs, ICT implementation and the

quality of care for clients. Mr Otoo said it was the aim of the NHIA to ensure the effective implementation of a one-

time premium payment scheme, review the legislative framework that ensure= d the operation

of the scheme, improve its claims administration and also enhance its ICT=

solutions to

overhaul the NHIS communication strategy within the year 2010. "We will also improve ID cards production and distribution cycle whi= ch has been a major

challenge over the years," he said. Mr Sylvester Mensah, Chief Executive Officer, NHIA, in a speech read=

for him, said it

was the strategic intent of government to build a model health insurance scheme in Africa. He urged the various scheme managers to involve the District, Munici= pal and

Metropolitan Assemblies in advocacy and strategising, especially in issue= s of sanitation, to

help reduce disease burdens, leading to high drains of the coffers of the=

Scheme.