By Elorm Yao Aryee
Management of Margaret Marquart Catholic Hospital at Kpando in the Volta Region has urged the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) to settle its health insurance claims for an effective running of the facility.
The Authority currently owes the hospital arrears in excess of nine months, a development which is adversely affecting healthcare delivery to patients.
The Administrator of the facility, Williams Ladzaka in an interview with GBC News, lamented that delay in payment of health insurance claims has made it difficult for management to purchase medical consumables since its supplies are hesitant to sell on credit.
He was speaking on the sidelines of the celebration of 31st World Day of the Sick and 2022 Best Health Workers Awards by the Ho Catholic Diocesan Health Service.
He said it will be challenging to deliver medical services to the over 98 percent of their clients who are subscribers on the national health insurance scheme. This is due to the delay in reimbursement of health insurance claims by the NHIA to the facility.
“Our major challenge is finance to purchase medical consumables. All our funds are locked up with the Health Insurance Authority. The last time we were paid our claims was in April 2022 so from May last year till date we have not received any money from the Authority.
However, our supplies demand cash these days before they provide us medical consumables so it will be very difficult for us to run the facility if we do not get reimbursement from the NHIA,” Mr Ladzaka said.
Margaret Marquart Catholic Hospital is the major health facility in the Kpando Municipality of the Volta Region and serves thousands of clients from neighbouring districts in the Volta and Oti Regions.
The facility was adjudged the Best Christian Health Association of Ghana (GHAG) facility in the Volta and Oti Regions during the recent health sector awards by the Volta/Oti branch of the Ghana Medical Association.
In a message to mark the 31st celebrations of the World Day of the Sick, the Catholic Bishop of Ho, Most Rev Emmanuel Fianu urged health workers and caregivers to provide the sick with quality healthcare at all times. Health Workers in the Ho Diocesan Health Service who distinguished themselves in healthcare services were awarded with citations and prizes.
The Ho Catholic Diocesan Health Service has about five health facilities across the Volta Region. Gilbert Vordzogbe emerged as the Best Worker in the Paramedics category, Felix Agede as the Best Worker in the Prescribers category, and Felicia Agbeehia as the Best Worker in the Nurses/Midwife category.
