Sensitization workshop on mobile membership renewal and authentication service NHIS- UER

 

The drudgery of people cueing and sleeping daily at the National Health Insurance Scheme NHIS facilities, in order to get one’s expired card renewed will soon be over. 

Since the establishment of the NHIS 15 years ago, it has been bedeviled with many challenges making its delivery inefficient. 

It is against this backdrop that, the scheme plans to roll out mobile membership renewal and authentication service across the country which will be launched by President Akufo-Addo on 19th December 2018, to help streamline their operational difficulties. 

The service can be access on the short code *929# after the launch.

In connection with this, a team from the Corporate Affairs Directorate of the National Health Insurance Scheme CAD, NHIS has paid a visit to the Upper East Region, as part of a stakeholder’s sensitization on the digital renewal of NHIS membership cards using mobile phones. 

The NHIS teams call on the Upper East Regional Minister Ms Paulina Abayage

The team first paid a courtesy call on the Upper East Regional Minister Ms. Paulina Patience Abayage to brief her on the new innovation which will go a long way to ease congestion at the various NHIS facilities. 

Ms. Abayage lamented that, the plight of people in getting their cards renewed is simply unbearable; especially the poor women and children who commute long distances to the various NHIS facilities only to sleep there counting days in this old season. 

She however expressed hope that, when the e-renewal system is fully implemented, they will heave a sigh of relief. 

This during the sensitization workshop with stakeholders at the office of the Regional NHIS, Bolgatanga

The workshop brought together stakeholders from the Ghana Health Service GHS, Trade Union Congress TUC, the Media, Government Communicators, and National Commission for Civic Education, NCCE, and the Information Services Department. 

In his welcome address, the Director in charge of Membership and Regional Operations, National Health Insurance Scheme NHIS, Ben Kusi indicated that, the e-renewal system so far have been able to capture over 18 million residents in Ghana, including foreigners who came through for a visit on our database, but as at the end of 2017, the active membership stood at 10.57 million. 

Mr. Kusi stated that, the aim of NHIS is to register everybody, working towards achieving Universal Health Coverage, ensuring that everybody in Ghana will have access to healthcare without any financial burden. 

He stressed that, the struggle associated with registration and renewal of membership identification cards will be a thing of the past. 

Mr. Kusi stated that, the NHIS felt the pain of the people and thought that something must be done hence the new innovation the e-renewal. 

He explained further what is required of a member to renew his or her card. 

The Deputy Director, Corporate Affairs Directorate of the National Health Insurance Scheme NHIS, Oswald Essuah-Mensah who took participants through the workshop said that, the system has been successfully piloted in Asuogyaman and West Mamprusi Districts where more than 21 thousand, 500 people renewed their membership using mobile phone. 

He said that, the National Health Insurance Scheme has a four-pronged strategy to reform the Scheme going forward. 

The first strategy is, restructuring the financial model of the scheme whilst the second pertains to moving from manual claim processing to a fully electronic claim management system. 

The third pillar is to enhance clinical audits as well as the internal audit machinery of the scheme whilst the 4th pillar, seeks prosecutorial powers from the Attorney-General’s Department to handle their own cases. 

Mr. Essuah-Mensah said five lawyers have been recruited and trained by the AG as part of the process for the Scheme to prosecute its own cases and that a fiat has been applied for in that regard.

 He called on the stakeholders especially the media, to put the health facilities on check to make sure that they do what is expected of them. 

The benefits of the nationwide roll-out of the new NHIS mobile renewal to members include reduced waiting time, remote renewals and reminders for membership expiry whilst the advantages to NHIA among others range from low operational costs, higher income to reduction in revenue leakages. 

Service providers can also check the validity of cards and then advice clients whose cards are not valid to renew them on the spot for them to receive medical attention. 

The NHIS team paid a courtesy call on Bongo Paramount Chief at his Palace

The team later proceeded to pay homage to the Bongo Paramount Chief Bon-Naba Baba Salifu Atamale Lemyaruum and to also solicit support in sending the message across to the masses. 

Bon-Naba so enthusiastic about the health needs of his people, having received the massage gathered together at his Palace, sub and divisional chiefs, Queen mothers, magazias and elders waiting for the team. 

After briefing him about the e-renewal process via mobile phone, the Bon-Naba took up the lecture with his subjects to the admirations of the team. 

Naba Lemyaruum assured the NHIS that the Bongo Community Radio Station will play a pivotal role in the dissemination process.