Opinions of Sunday, 19 January 2014

Columnist: Adofo, Rockson

Much Touted NHIS One-time Premium is Dead

The Much Touted and Sloganized NHIS One-time Premium is Dead

?The NDC in their bid to garner more votes to win Election 2008 took to the path of
utter deception and populism. Among many of their foolhardy ploys, I shall discuss
only one today
They touted and sloganized the implementation of a one-time premium National Health
Insurance Scheme (NHIS) if they won the elections. Many a well-informed person or
Ghanaian, especially Medical Doctors, did express their doubts about the feasibility
of such a project. Discerning Ghanaians argued that Ghana’s economy has not reached
the level able to sustain such a gigantic scheme without caving in somewhere along
the line.?The NDC as usual, dispatched their agents and assigns popularly called
radio phone-in serial callers,to the radio stations, villages etc. on mission to lie
about their real motive behind the introduction of the electioneering-promised
one-time NHIS premium.
?They could not introduce it when they won the election. They have not been able to
implement that sloganized policy as at writing. The NDC brains behind the policy do
not want to be questioned about the scheme anymore in any form or shape. They feel
very uncomfortable when asked about it because they have neither the brains nor the
financial means to implement that scale of project the mention of which sends cold
chill down the spine of even the leaders of advanced economies. What a perfect
charlatanry to obtain Ghanaian votes for free by the spiteful NDC??Anyway, what is a
one-time NHIS premium as touted by the NDC Atta Mills/John Mahama government? It was
simply a mooted idea of every Ghanaian adult thought of needing medical attention at
a point in their life paying a one-off health insurance sum of say GHC500 or
GHC1000. They did not indicate how much the one-time premium was going to cost every
Ghanaian. However, it is most important to note
that even most economically advance nations like Germany, the United Kingdom,
France and the USA cannot support a one-time premium health insurance scheme.?I am
not going to discuss the details of how the NHS operates in these countries where
national insurance contributions are paid by workers on monthly basis. These
contributions are coupled with some form of private/public partnership schemes to
generate continual funds for the smooth running of acceptable health delivery
services to all their citizens.?If the well economically and technologically
advanced countries cannot support such a scheme, how could a developing economy of
the size of Ghana with all the corruption flying in all directions successfully
support such a gargantuan scheme??There is no wonder the NDC do not want to be
asked about it any longer. What a bunch of fraudsters they are! Have Ghanaians not
had enough of the lies being bandied about by the NDC in pursuit of their
selfish agenda? If you are, what are you doing about it, oh poor modern day slave
of some sort? The Mahama and NDC lies cum the "family affair" policies lovably in
implementation in Ghana has made you and me modern day slaves in our own land of
birth.?I shall be discussing the national medical capitation in pilot scheme trial
in Ashanti region in my next publication. Stay tuned as Rockson is now gradually
emerging from the lair in which he retired to recuperate. For your information, the
one-time NHIS premium is a stillborn policy. ?Rockson Adofo?