Mr Isaac Badu Amponsah, the Bono Regional Director of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), has commended the government for the payment of claims to service providers of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

He said the government had paid the claims of service providers from January to August this year, thereby making the operations of the scheme more effective and efficient.

“Presently we don’t owe any service provider in the region,” Mr Amponsah stated when speaking at a sensitization campaign on the “NHIS Storm Project,” aimed at creating awareness of the scheme in Sunyani.

Earlier, the Authority held a street procession in the Bono Regional capital and ended with the campaign at the Nana Bosoma Central Market to sensitize the market women and traders on the need for those who had not joined the scheme to register and also encourage the members to renew their NHIS cards.

Mr Amponsah expressed concern about co-payment (collection of illegal fees) by some health service providers and advised clients who experienced the unacceptable practice to report to the nearest NHIA office.

He said it was unlawful for service providers to collect medical fees from clients of the NHIS who visited their facilities, and warned that offenders would be prosecuted.

Mr Amponsah explained that the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, introduced by the government was to strengthen the operations of the NHIS, and urged those without the National Identification card to obtain one, saying without the card it would be impossible to access the fund.

The Authority also used the campaign to register new members to the scheme and after going through his registration process, Mr Nuru Abul, a trader commended the Authority for making it easier for some of them to register.