NHIS to take off at KATH in 2005

Kumasi, Dec 22, GNA- The Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi is to spend 300 million dollars on "Networking Information System" to ensure the successful take-off of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in the medical facility next year.

Dr Anthony Nsiah-Asare, Chief Executive Officer of the KATH, announced this at the opening of a two-day seminar on the NHIS for 100 personnel of the Hospital in Kumasi on Tuesday.

He said the NHIS was aimed at providing quality health care for the people.

Dr Nsiah-Asare said every contributor to the scheme would pay a minimum of 72,000 cedis as premium.

He warned that authorities at the Hospital would sanction any member of staff who collects the premium illegally.

Dr Joe Bonney, a Consultant of the Ghana Health Service, who spoke on "The NHIS in Ghana", said every district was supposed to establish district mutual health insurance schemes to cater for the health needs of their localities.