National health scheme makes progress in B/A

The district offices of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) in the Brong Ahafo Region have been rolled onto the biometric registration system (BMS).

This will ensure that new clients who register to be members of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in the region are issued with identity cards instantly.

The acting Brong Ahafo Regional Director of the NHIA, Mr Aminu Yakubu, made this known at the second quarter of the 2015 performance review meeting of the region in Sunyani.

Fundamental reforms

Addressing the participants, Mr Aminu said the biometric system had brought in its wake fundamental reforms in the authority’s data management processes by improving data integrity and reliability.

He said besides the instant issuance of identity cards, the situation had also changed the approach of the staff by ensuring that they worked as a team.

Registration and premium

Mr Aminu said as of May 2015, the region had registered a total of 394,626, members, representing 58 per cent of the targeted 684,642.

He attributed the failure by the authority to achieve its target to the lean season in the region during which economic activities were slow.

Mr Aminu acknowledged that the region needed to devise strategies such as working at odd times and on weekends and holidays to reach out to the communities.

With respect to premium mobilisation, he stated that the region achieved its targeted GH¢2 million by recording GH¢2.2 million, representing 9.8 per cent excess mobilisation.

Payment of claims

On claims payment, Mr Aminu said the service providers had been paid all their arrears from July 2014 to January 2015, totalling GH¢4.9 million from a total hospital attendance of 2,234,278.

He called on staff of the authority to be disciplined and observe the institution’s code of conduct in order to ensure better service to their clients.