By Vanessa Adjei
When was the last time you had your sugar levels and blood pressure checked? Data from the National Health Identification Authority shows that about 48% of the public, predominantly men, do not visit the hospital and even in some circumstances visit but don’t go back for further check.
“Men don’t like going to hospitals, they wait until the situation is critical and then we all wear black and white and say gone too soon”, according to data.
“Women always do the right thing, they visit the hospitals and come home to take their drugs, that is why they have a longer life expectancy”.
Chief Executive, of the National Health Insurance Authority, NHIA, Dr. Lydia Dsane-Selby made these remarks when she met with Journalists in Accra
According to the Chief Executive, the UN goal to achieve Universal Health Coverage is leaving no one behind, but added that, ”if we don’t know who is there how do you know whom you’ve left behind”, she asked.
Dr. Dsane-Selby encouraged the public to merge the Ghana Card and National Health Insurance Card to help access health care, which will allow tracking and identifying people especially men between 30 and 60 years who are not receiving the needed care.
“This will ensure they are being checked for hypertension, diabetes among others to keep them well and working”, according to Dr. Lydia Dsane-Selby.