The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) has experienced a significant surge in registrations, with a confirmed 61% increase since 2017, according to Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
However, the rising numbers are now raising questions about the effectiveness of the scheme, particularly in delivering quality healthcare services.
Complaints have emerged regarding NHIS subscribers purchasing medications that should be covered under the scheme.
Reports of underfunding have forced healthcare facilities to charge additional fees, burdening patients who rely on the scheme for financial support.
Beyond the statistics, the true impact of these issues is felt on the ground.
Outside hospital gates in the Ashanti region, a distressed crowd gathers, not just as concerned visitors, but as patients and family members grappling with mounting medical bills.
Gifty Boakye, whose mother is unwell, expressed frustration, describing the NHIS as ‘stale.’
She lamented the current state of the health insurance scheme, emphasizing that quality healthcare is increasingly inaccessible for those without sufficient funds.
“The health insurance scheme has become stale. Now if you don’t have enough money, you won’t receive quality health care. Why should we suffer like this?” she quizzed.
Reports from various health facilities in the Ashanti region reveal long delays in treatment due to the absence of health insurance cards.
Essential medications are reportedly unavailable due to insufficient coverage, compelling subscribers to purchase drugs that they anticipated would be included in the NHIS.
Subscribers also highlighted instances of undisclosed fees for services supposedly covered by the scheme.
“This small illness. Look at the number of drugs they have prescribed for me. The health insurance is not working. Why will we be buying all sorts of drugs if it’s working?” a subscriber said.
“They took 20 cedis before giving me a bed in the ward here in Kumasi South Hospital and this was without receipt. I don’t even know what the scheme covered,” said another subscriber.
A lack of transparency and clarity regarding coverage has left many questioning the functionality of the NHIS.
As voices of discontent grow, individuals like Kwame Dawu shared his experiences of paying unofficial fees to secure hospital beds and purchasing expensive drugs out of pocket.
“I brought my mother but we have paid a bribe of 100 cedis before getting a bed and I could see people in wheelchairs receiving treatment in their chairs. The health insurance is not working here. I have bought all sorts of drugs for about 2,000 cedis.”
For many, the struggling health insurance scheme is not merely an administrative obstacle but a stark representation of systemic issues within the healthcare system, disproportionately affecting the less privileged.
Among the dissatisfied subscribers is Samuel Tei Wayo, who points out the unnecessary waiting period for the health insurance to take effect, leading to financial strain and delays in receiving essential medical care.
“The ones I have been given for free are not expensive, but the expensive ones are the ones we have to buy. The waiting period for health insurance to take effect is long and unnecessary.”
As the NHIS faces criticism on multiple fronts, the surge in registrations appears to be overshadowed by the pressing need for reforms to address the reported shortcomings and ensure that the healthcare system meets the needs of all citizens.
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