“NHIS is one of the fundamental programmes that have serious problems,” Dr. Sebastian Sandaare said ahead of the reading of the 2023 Budget Statement and Financial Policy.
Dr. Sandaare, Member of Parliament for the Daffiama-Bussie-Issa Constituency in the Upper West Region was hopeful that, through the budget expected to be read November 24, 2022, the government would pay particular attention to expanding access to the Scheme and also promptly settle debts owed service providers.
He made these points when he spoke to A1 Radio’s Mark Smith on the Day Break Upper East Show.
“I expect that the Minister of Finance not releasing the full component of the NHIL would be addressed. We have traced and realised that the NHIA is saying that the money that the Ministry of Finance is supposed to release for us to be able to pay up the health facilities, the Ministry of Finance is not doing that. It is an issue for us to look out for and it is also an issue for us to hold the Finance Minister responsible to ensure the money is released,” he said.
Dr. Sandaare also called on the government to give substantial attention to enhancing and expanding access to primary healthcare in the country.
“The 2023 Budget Statement should meet the health needs of the people of this country. We know that in this economy, the health of the people is nothing to write home about. If you go to the Upper West Regional Hospital, the Upper East Regional Hospital and the other health facilities around, you would realise that people are struggling with the quality of healthcare that they need. It is either they do not have access to the facility or they do not have access to the commodities or items that they need to be treated with.”
“I expect that this budget should address that gap,” he said.
On the issue of the government’s Agenda 111, Dr. Sandaare urged the government to ensure that enough funds are made available to complete the facilities currently ongoing within the country.
He continued to say, “that is their own promise. Nobody forced them to make those promises and so we have to impress on them to ensure that they deliver.”
The MP proposed the setting up of an emergency fund to deal with possible health threats and outbreak of diseases within the country.
Source: A1radioonline.com|101.1MHz|Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith|Ghana
