Addressing country’s economic crisis: Don’t touch NHIS funds  …PSGH appeals to govt

The Pharmaceu­tical Society of Ghana (PSGH) has called on gov­ernment to ensure that actions taken to address the country’s econom­ic crisis do not negatively affect funds of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

“The biggest financing mech­anism of healthcare in Ghana is the NHIS so we are calling on government to ensure that the NHIS funds are not touched or reduced in anyway and funds, promptly released to the Nation­al Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) to ensure Ghanaians have unhindered access to health­care.”

“Efforts towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC) must not be unduly affected by the current economic crisis so the Ministry of Finance and Parliament must ensure this is done timeously.”

This was contained in a press statement issued in Accra and copied to the Ghanaian Times yesterday, following the an­nouncement of Ghana’s Domes­tic Debt Exchange Programme announced by the Finance Minis­ter, Ken Ofori Atta.

According to the statement, all debts owed to suppliers of pharmaceutical products to healthcare facilities must also be paid as a matter of urgency, to avoid disruptions in the supply of pharmaceuticals and other products in Ghana.

It also urged government to ensure pension funds were not impacted by the “haircuts” an­nounced, to enable beneficiaries of the funds have access to their full benefits.

All monies owed depositors, who were impacted by the finan­cial sector clean-up, the statement said, should be paid as agreed, adding that notwithstanding economic difficulties, the gov­ernment must guarantee access to healthcare especially for the vulnerable and those with limited resources.

“The PSGH stands in soli­darity with the people of Ghana and all stakeholders to take all necessary actions to ensure that government fully complies with demands and recommendations made,” it added.

BY RAISSA SAMBOU