34 SANCTIONED BY NHIA (Front Page)

Sat. January 9, 2010

THE National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has sanctioned 34 individuals and service providers in the Volta and Brong Ahafo regions, in its efforts to ensure the sustenance of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
Out of the 34, seven members of staff of the NHIA have been interdicted and four other individuals who are staff of some affected hospitals are to be handed over to the police.
In addition, 15 service providers have been suspended, six others are to be reported to the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service and two mission hospitals are to be reported to the Christian Health Association of Ghana for appropriate action.
The action was taken after months of financial and clinical audits conducted in all the scheme’s offices, as well as some selected health facilities in the two regions, where fraudulent activities were allegedly uncovered.
In a report headed “Findings and action taken on the Audit of the Volta and Brong Ahafo Regions,” made available to the Daily Graphic in Accra yesterday, the NHIA indicated that the officers involved included the scheme manager and accountant respectively of the North Tongu DMHIS in the Volta Region.
The two were said to have failed to account for a total of GH¢27,836.00 of premium collected from subscribers.
At the Adaklu-Anyibge DMHIS, the audit report revealed that GH¢28,537.73 meant for the payment of claims to service providers was allegedly misappropriated by three of the scheme’s officers.
At the Jaman North DMHIS, the scheme manager and the accountant who were said to be on interdiction were allegedly involved in mismanagement and incompetence.
The district office under the leadership of the two officials was reported to have misapplied GH¢25,944.00 to purchase computers and accessories and also misapplied other funds to the tune of GH¢12,000.00.
The two officials were also accused of locking GH¢52,750.00 which they used in printing identification (ID) cards, security renewal stickers and making of ID cards wallets. Moneys from the claims accounts were said to have been used to make those payments.
The Wenchi DMHIS was also cited for overpayment of claims to the tune of GH¢57,932.13 to Emil Memorial Hospital, Wenchi Methodist Hospital, Subinso Health Centre, Nyaase Royal Maternity Home and Droboso Clinic.
The service providers which had been sanctioned because of alleged professional misconduct and malfeasance are the Biodum Maternity Home at Adidome; Haggar Clinic and St Paul’s Hospital, both at Akatsi; Crown Pharmacy in Ho; Sefe Clinic; St Patrick Hospital at Kpando and Adidome Government Hospital, Sogakope Government Hospital, Peki Government Hospital and Afoega Catholic Hospital, all in the Volta Region.
In the Brong Ahafo Region, facilities which were alleged to have been involved in fraudulent deals are Bernice Maternity and Clinic at Yeji; Helen Pharmacy at Duayaw Nkwanta; Shasha Clinic at Goaso; Emil Memorial Hospital at Berekum; Akomade Clinic at Atebubu and Menji Rural Clinic.
The audit report revealed that several maternity homes were providing extensive clinical services other than maternity and child health services.
The NHIA indicated that the practice ran through the country and, therefore, took the opportunity to advise such maternity homes to desist from providing extensive clinical services to NHIS subscribers.