The President of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA), Dr. Frank Serebour has refuted claims made by the association’s former General Secretary, Professor Titus K. Beyuo about the initiation and implementation of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
In an extended interview with Pure FM’s Evans Osei-Bonsu, Dr. Frank Serebour clarified that contrary to Prof. Beyou’s assertion of the scheme being firstly implemented by the NDC, he can say on authority it is the erstwhile H.E John Kufuor’s administration that implemented the policy.
He recalled the GMA’s role it played in the policy formulation and execution when the then NPP administration led by the former President sought for the association’s inputs and expertise.
“We as a group do not involve ourselves in the politics of the policy. This is why we don’t relent in expressing our concerns about the challenges the Scheme faces, of which we have seen significant successes in addressing most of our concerns.
We played a crucial role in the formulation, piloting and execution of the policy and for that reason, I can place it on record that it is H.E John Agyekum Kufuor’s government that originally initiated and piloted the concept of health insurance in Ghana, contrary Professor. Beyuo’s claim.”
Background
Professor Titus K. Beyuo who is a former GMA Secretary and currently a parliamentary candidate for Lambussie on the NDC’s ticket asserted during the second edition of Adom TV’s Badwam Sectorial Debate held at the Accra Digital Center on Friday, that claims by the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) that the NHIS was established by its government under President John Agyekum Kufuor in 2003 was false.
According to him, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) originally birthed and implemented the concept of health insurance in Ghana.
“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 The NDC later repealed that act and established a truly national scheme,” Prof Beyuo explained.
Source: Purefmonline.com || Evans Osei-Bonsu || 2024
