Sectorial Debate: NDC Initiated NHIS, NPP Mismanaged Scheme With Capping – Former GMA General Secretary

Former General Secretary of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA), Professor Titus K. Beyuo has expressed his disappointment in government’s handling of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

He argues that, it limits the scheme’s effectiveness in providing comprehensive healthcare coverage.

“One bad thing I feel the NPP government has done to Ghanaians is the capping of the NHIS,” he said.

Speaking during the second edition of Adom TV’s Badwam Sectorial Debate held at the Accra Digital Center on Friday, Prof Beyuo responded to claims by the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) that the NHIS was established by its government under President John Agyekum Kufuor in 2003.

According to him, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) originally initiated and piloted the concept of health insurance in Ghana under former President Jerry John Rawlings.

However, the erstwhile Kufuor government passed the NHIS Act 650, which he claimed was misleadingly titled as it included provisions for District Mutual Health schemes, Private Mutual Health Insurance schemes, and commercial schemes, but not a national scheme.

He reiterated that, it was the NDC who transformed the system into a true national scheme.

“The NDC initiated health insurance with a National Health Insurance concept but faced strong opposition from the NPP, with Dr. Addo-Kufuor being particularly vocal. The concept of NHIS was first introduced under former president Jerry John Rawlings, who planned and piloted it.

“However, when the NPP came to power, they passed the NHIS Act, Act 650. This act established district mutual health schemes, private mutual health insurance schemes, and commercial ones, but there was no provision for a national scheme, despite the act being called a national insurance act. The NDC later repealed that act and established a truly national scheme,” Prof Beyuo explained.

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