The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in the Savannah Region has emerged first out of sixteen regions in the country haven achieved their annual target of 342,830 population coverage representing 44% of the regional population.
Out of a 2022 annual performance target of 342,830, the region was able to attain 363,348 membership representing 106% with all Districts in the region achieving over 100% of their targets.
This was disclosed at the 2022 end of year performance review meeting for the scheme’s District Managers and officers at Damongo on Thursday, 2nd March, 2023
The WHO, under the Sustainable Development Goal 3.8, targets to achieve UHC for all by 2030, where people will have access to essential health services.
In a welcome address, the Savannah Regional Director of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Chief Dauda Mahama explained that end of year performance review meetings are key operational tools that offers them an opportunity to critic their operational performance and evaluate their strengths, weaknesses, challenges and above all, find new and better strategies that will sharpen their skills in achieving their core mandate of enrolling and retaining the membership of the NHIS.
He further outlined some critical operational performance outcomes of the Savannah Region NHIA in the year under review which included areas such Transportation, Performance, Formation of co-payment committees in all five District Offices to help minimize incidents of paying cash at the point of healthcare delivery.
He said, the NHIA as part of its mission is accountable to all stakeholders including their membership which offers them the responsibility to set realistic annual operational targets in areas such as revenue mobilization, membership derive, expansion on access to healthcare delivery and to also work towards strategic initiatives and innovations that will enable them achieve Universal Health Coverage [UHC] through laid down operational guidelines, procedures and policies that seek to ensure that the remain committed and accountable at all times.
He urged District Managers of the scheme to actively participate in their discussions and suggest meaningful inputs that are centered on their day to day operations, targets, challenges and strategic initiatives
that will lead to improving on the future performance of the Savannah Region Office.
Mr Isaac Akonde, a claims processing Centre Director of the National Health Insurance Scheme expressed delight to be part of the 2022 performance review meeting of the NHIA in the savannah region which he said creates an avenue for them to learn and share ideas as to how they can carry out their operations within the region to have NHIS running as it is supposed to be and that, the claims processing centre is ready to support them with the needed technical support and collaborations in all that matters to boost their work.
He admonished the District Managers and their officers to embrace critics in their deliberations but not as personal critics but for the good work they are doing and also for the betterment of mother Ghana.
The NHIA Director incharge of the Northern belt, Mr. Titus Sorey on behalf of the Chief executive officer of the National Health Insurance Authority explained that reviews are not just routine activities that come every year but one with a purpose to guide organisations to learn ad sit to evaluate how far the have come on the road and what the seek to do to keep going as an organisation.
He eulogized the region for it’s impressive performance in the year under review and urged that there is a lot more to do even though the exceeded their target but should be mindful that the ultimate goal is to hit 80% of their universal health coverage target by 2030.
He explained that many of the people are unable to access health care services because the can not afford it but the NHIS which is a pro – poor program is working to ensure the coverage of indigenes into the scheme.
Mr. Titus further urged the officers to consider their relationship with other key stakeholders particularly the Ghana health service which he said are their main partners when it comes to giving meaning to the cards that their members hold.
He also added that, apart from getting their members registered and remaining active, it is also a direct responsibility through which they will be measured on how the ensured that their members are able to access services that are covered within the NHIS basket free of charge.
He finally charged the co – payment committees across the region to do their work diligently for them to see how far the can grow together.
Deputy Regional health Director in charge of Administration, Dr. Serene Akpanya on part urged the managers and officers of the NHIS to continuously hold on to the things that the have done that has become best practices in their operations and assured the support of the Ghana health service to ensuring the Success of the NHIS, Ghana health service and service providers.
Source: Padfm.com.gh/Kumatey Gorden/0243531604
