CHAG makes distress call to Government

The Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) has sent a distress call to Government to address with dispatch the huge indebtedness of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to its health facilities.

CHAG is a faith-based health network organisation comprising 21 Christian Church denominations and over 183-member health institutions spread throughout the country. Established in 1967, with 25 health institution, the Association which provides about 40 per cent of health care in the country, has most of its facilities located in remote areas, and most of its clients being NHIS subscribers.

According to Mr. Peter Yeboah, Executive Director of CHAG, the Scheme owes its facilities over GH¢ 100 million for services rendered to NHIS Members/Clients, spanning over eleven months.

In an interview, he noted with concern that CHAG was overwhelmed by the level of indebtedness, a situation he described as an “eminent humanitarian disaster of massive proportion” if the indebtedness of the Scheme was not addressed in time.

“We have gone beyond our endurance limit,” Mr Yeboah observed, stressing that “the situation is so critical that basic healthcare services to mothers, children, aged, poor, needy and the marginalised are affected.

The Executive Secretary bemoaned the situation where suppliers of medicines and other medical consumables were chasing and pestering the facilities and even threatening legal suits to redeem the amounts owed by facilities.

Elaborating further, he noted that “our suppliers are unwilling to supply us with essential consumables and medicines, our medical equipment are breaking down due to inadequate funds for repairs/maintenance, medical services has become unbearable, with life-saving infrastructures deteriorating”.

Due to this development, he observed that physicians were compelled to issue patients with prescriptions for them to go and buy the medicines from the market.

He said this was seriously affecting the quality of healthcare delivery in the country, adding that it has gotten to the stage where “we are unable to guarantee quality of medicines the patients are buying and taking.”

On Government’s campaign promise to fix the challenges bedeviling the NHIS, the Executive Secretary stated that CHAG appreciates Government’s intention, but expressed worry about the fact that there was no road map of repayment plan and settling the debts owed the health facilities three months after the new administration took reins of governance.

He noted that CHAG was more worried about the collateral damage the indebtedness was having on the health care system in the country, as well as the dire consequences it has on the economy, if the situation persists.

As a result of these months of indebtedness to service providers, Mr Yeboah observed that there was a “gradual loss of confidence in the health system, as patients, NHIS members/clients are losing hope in health care delivery.”

He said what was needed now was an urgent action by Government to salvage the health system from an eminent collapse by settling the debts owed by the NHIS to service providers.  

Mr. Yeboah called for an end to the chronic NHIS indebtedness, urging Government to make exigent intervention to restore the health system.

DO WE EVEN CARE?

I can sense a gradual build up of public mistrust in our political and criminal justice system.
The greed and dishonesty of MOST of our political elites is hurting the trust of many.
The selfishness of MOST of our religious leaders is seriously eroding the trust of many in religious affairs and affecting their faith in God.
The self-centeredness of MOST of our business owners and the quest to make profit at all cost is horrifying.
The lack of care in MOST of our Health centres and Charity homes is depressing and disappointing.
The rate of unemployment and the misbehaviour of MOST middlemen or job owners, who take undue advantage of the unemployed or job seekers is disturbing.
The frustrations many go through to acquire passport and other essential services from state agencies is perplexing.
The wanton destruction to our environment in our quest to exploit the natural resource deposits, is unprecedented and terrifying.

CULTURE OF DEATH
The daily report of deaths of our compatriots in bizarre circumstances that could have been avoided;
The general neglect, and benign inaction of those paid with our taxes, to take CARE of our safety and their incorrigible attitude to responsive action is sickening.
The least said about the loss of 58 Ghanaians to CSM; the lives claimed in the June 3rd 2015 event; the Kintampo water falls disaster and the numerous needless accidents that waste precious lives and maim many others on a daily basis is just appalling and nauseating.
The increasing suicide and homicide cases in our communities is upsetting and just shows that we don't even Care.

CULTURE OF IMPUNITY
The era where we pamper these vigilante groups for their deeds and misdeeds is worrying.
The situation where we free wrong doers who are well connected and excessively punish those who commit similar or minor crimes is unfortunate and troubling.

THE SUBTLE SIGNALS
The way we vent our anger on alleged thieves (mob justice) in our society is a subtle sign of the lethal rage in people waiting to explode one day.
The general public's out cry demonstrated during the Marwako episode is a subtle sign of a deep seated anger in people.
The diplomatic campaign against the galamsey conundrum or enigma is a subtle sign of how livid people are.
And the low turn out in our general elections is a subtle sign of the low confidence people have in our political system.

ARE WE TAKING OURSELVES FOR GRANTED?

The tendency to take ourselves for granted in this country is disquieting.
Often times, we hear politicians downplaying public agitations or concerns of people and contending that the dust will soon settle.
Our being a peaceful people or nation, managing the 'smooth' transfer of power between the two major parties should not make us too complacent.
Perhaps me think the work of the Peace Campaigners should continue to foster fairness and unity in our development, instead of they going to sleep only for them to resurrect during an elections year.

LEST WE FORGET

Lest we forget the events that led to the 1948 riots in the Gold Coast.

Lest we forget the fate of the former President of Burkina Faso.

Lest we forget to take ourselves serious and address the issues that affect our collective interest.

Lest we forget to value the people who elected us.

Lest we forget to be the CARING PEOPLE we ought to be.

Lest we forget our history and the people we are.

Lest we forget to pray and act fairly towards each other.

May God bless our Homeland Ghana.

#IstillCare#

St Joseph Hospital exonerated

The St. Joseph Orthopaedic Hospital, Effiduase, Koforidua.

The St. Joseph Hospital at Effiduase in the Koforidua Dioceses has been cleared of allegations that staff of the facility extorted monies from patients under the Operation Walk Syracuse.

In a release by the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) on the findings, it described the allegations by the media, as unfounded and malicious to the integrity, image and reputation of the St Joseph Hospital.

The findings further asserted that no payment or donation of US$ 100,000 was ever made to the St Joseph Hospital towards the surgical operations.

Background

Following media allegations of extortion of monies from patient under the American Charity-Operation Walk Syracuse, by staff of the St. Joseph Orthopaedic Hospital at Koforidua in August 2016, then Minster of Health, Hon. Alex Segbefia, directed the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) to conduct full scale investigation.

Consequently, the Chairman of the CHAG Board set up a seven-member Committee which was inaugurated on 24^th August 2016, with Mr. Christopher Nartey, a retired Director of Administration at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital as its Chairman to look into the matter.

The release signed by Mr. Peter K. Yeboah, Executive Director of CHAG, further stated that beneficiary patients received free echocardiogram, x-rays and other laboratory tests, all at the expense of the hospital.

The findings noted that patients paid GH₵1000 each for the procedures, which comparatively cost about GH₵ 55,000 in most hospitals in Ghana.

CHAG also to announced that the Patients who benefitted from the operation are now healthy, happy, and enjoying functional mobility as independent persons.

The release announced that the American Charity-Operation Walk Syracuse is returning to the same Hospital-St Joseph Hospital-Effiduase-Koforidua in October this year, for another batch of humanitarian and restorative surgeries to the poor and needy.

CHAG called on the general public to support CHAG Member Institutions in preserving, promoting and protecting health and healing at all times, anywhere and to every person.

The Association further appealed to stakeholders to appreciate efforts of CHAG Health Facilities, including St Joseph Hospital-Koforidua, that collaborate with Stakeholders to provide such charitable works of mercy for humanity not condemnation.

The Association assured the general public that the Hospitals still upholds Christian ideals of service and sacrifice and maintains their fidelity to the sick and suffering, poor and needy, neglected and marginalized segment of the society.

Meanwhile, Most Rev. Joseph Afrifah-Agyekum, Bishop of Koforidua, in a separate interview alongside the World Day of the Sick at the Hospital said the allegation were unfounded and malicious.

He cautioned Journalists to be circumspect in their reportage and do well to investigate the matter to its conclusive end.

Similarly, Mr. Valentine Bruku, Administrator of the Hospital assured patients and clients of the facility that the management and staff of St. Joseph Hospital were committed to delivering quality healthcare to the.

He therefore appealed to all staff and patrons to support the growth of the facility.