Government’s snail pace payment of arrears will frustrate NHIS – Chamber of Pharmacy

The Chamber of Pharmacy Ghana has expressed disgust about what it described as government’s snail’s pace payment of the 12 months arrears owed service providers under the National Health Insurance Scheme.

The Chamber said it will stick to its earlier decision to halt the supply of drugs to health providers, until all payments owed the providers are cleared.

“We were shocked to hear that government has released only 1 month out of the 12 months arrears. But that was not the arrangement. So we wonder what really might be the issue at stake, because we don’t think that it is government’s intention not to ensure quality of healthcare delivery to the people. That is why we are telling the government that the one month payment out of the bulk amount of indebtedness won’t help our course. This kind of snail’s pace payment will not help the sustainability of the Health Insurance,” Chief Executive of the Chamber Anthony Ameka told host Fiifi Banson on Anopa Kasapa on Kasapa 102.5 FM Thursday.

Out of the 12 months arrears in indebtedness owed service providers under the National Health Insurance Scheme, government has only paid one month’s arrears has been paid which is just a minute fraction of a ?1.2 billion debt owed them.

But the Health Minister said he is shocked by the threats of the Chamber, after reaching a middle ground with them on the terms of payment of the arrears.

He said government has been in talks with the Chamber on terms of payment, and therefore did not expect such reaction from them.

He’s called on them to exercise patience, as the Ministry works to resolve the issue amicably.