Municipal and District Scheme Managers of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in the Upper East Region have been charged to do everything possible in their areas to improve client registration and premium mobilization which are critical for the scheme’s sustenance.
Upper East Regional Director of the National Health Insurance Authority, (NHIA) Sebastian Alagpulinsa threw the challenge to his staff at the 2015 3rd Quarter Performance Review Meeting of the NHIA held in Bolgatanga, Capital of the Upper East Region. He disclosed that as part of its operational modules, each district or municipal scheme office as well as the satellite ones is given set targets to achieve within stipulated periods and noted that, a scheme that failed in hitting its target simply meant it was underperforming.
Mr. Alagpulinsa commended the scheme’s staff who within the quarter, worked into the night and sometimes at the weekends all geared at achieving targets. He urged them to continue to give off their best adding that they have always exhibited the capacity and enthusiasm to deliver to the mandate of the NHIA. He however warned Scheme Managers who consecutively failed to meet their targets throughout all the four quarters of the operational years that, he will not countenance such laxity. According to him, appropriate disciplinary and administrative actions will be slapped on such underperforming managers to whip them in line.
In his presentation, the Manager of the Kassena-Nankana NHIS, Mr. Ayamga Agana Clement revealed that his outfit undertook to increase active membership by 8% over gains in 2014 and thus set a target of 86,904 for the 3rd quarter but was only able to achieve membership numbers of 63,763.
The Manager further revealed that in partnership with the Social Welfare Department and other institutions, the scheme registered 3,736 indigents, 480 Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) beneficiaries and 55 mentally challenged while 19,757 basic school pupils including some from the Senior High Schools were registered or had their cards renewed within the period under review.
Mr. Ayamga also disclosed that the 3rd quarter premium target was pegged at GH¢476,302.50 but by the end of the quarter in September, GH¢313,787.00 representing 66% of the target was realised while his staff were able to visit all 34 accredited facilities to ascertain problems associated with claims processing by first vetting before visiting the providers for verification.
According to him, the Kassena-Nankana Scheme issued a total of 63,763 ID cards to clients as at September 2015 representing 73% success of the set target. He noted that the Scheme which was established in the area in September, 2004 oversees two districts including the Kassena-Nankana Municipality and the Kassena-Nankana West District and thus needed to augment its staff strength which currently stood at 27.
Of all the NHIS offices in the Upper East Region, the Talensi Office topped all other offices with the achievement of 97% membership registered while the Garu-Tempane scheme ranked last based on performance within the 3rd quarter. The Garu-Tempane scheme was however able to increase its membership from the previous quarter of 21,400 representing 52% to 66% as at the end of the 3rd quarter. It also raised its premium from 36 percent to 42 percent during the quarter under review.
A Management Information Systems Officer, Mr. Ibrahim Issaka Azure, who presented the Garu-Tempane NHIS performance report, mentioned inadequate staff, shortage of consumables and lack of mobile telecommunications network in most communities in the district which hampered speedy production of biometric ID Cards to clients as major obstacles his outfit encountered within the quarter.
Staff from all the NHIS scheme offices across the region participated in the about nine-hour long review meeting which witnessed detailed presentations from scheme managers.
By: Peter Atogewe Wedam | A1RADIOONLINE.com | GHANA
