The National Health Insurance Scheme says it’s commitment is not in doubt to ensure it attains a universal health coverage across the country.

A latest report by SEND-Ghana has uncovered that the poor is being shortchanged in the premium payment on the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

The premium which varies according to one's economic condition is literally robbing the poor for the rich, the report stated.

The survey conducted between 2012 and 2013 highlights that most of the people covered in the scheme as poor are not, per the definition of the Ghana Statistical Service.

However, the Public Relations Officer of the Scheme, Selorm Adonoo says the said report “is not new per se”, insisting that it’s only a reflection of what the NHIS themselves have discovered.

He said beyond the difficulty,the scheme has had significant coverage but said it needs to deepen the collaboration with the Department of Social welfare to be able to identify the poor for registration.

Selorm Adonoo noted that identifying the poor for registration has remained the scheme’s biggest challenged, but indicated it is putting measures in place to make it work.