Prospects and challenges of the national health insurance scheme in Central Tongu District of Ghana

Abstract

The health status of a nation goes a long way to determine its level of productivity and growth. The objective of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) is to ensure equitable universal access for all residents of Ghana to an acceptable quality package of health services. The objectives of the study was to analyze the challenges involved in accessing the National Health Insurance Scheme by subscribers in the Central Tongu District, evaluate the prospects of the National Health Insurance Scheme in the District and the factors that affect NHIS usage in accessing health care. To achieve these objectives, a combination of case study and survey research designs were used. The study employed descriptive statistics and probit regression analysis in presenting the results obtained on the factors that prevent people from accessing the National Health Insurance Scheme in the Central Tongu District and the challenges faced in accessing National Health Insurance Scheme. The findings of the study showed that, the introduction of NHIS in Central Tongu District has helped improve individuals‟ access to primary health care. That is, irrespective of one‟s education, employment status, distance and affordability, one can subscribe to NHIS in order to access basic health care within the district. The study found out that, NHIS subscription has the tendency of improving the health lives of people and it has also helped reduced the cash and carry system of obtaining basic health care in the country, precisely, in the Central Tongu District. Nevertheless, the above independent variables affect individuals within the Central Tongu District in accessing primary health care. However, NHIS subscription within the District has helped and brought some relief to individuals who obtain basic health care in the district at an affordable cost. It is recommended that, the government of Ghana through the ministry of health should collaborate with telecommunication companies to extend their services to remote areas to allow easy access for registration and renewal of the NHIS cards. In addition, the government of Ghana in collaboration with other health agencies should bring out policies in order to bring back on track some health workers who do not pay attention to individuals who comes to the health centers with the NHIS to access basic health care. This will help them keep the workers on their toes to enhance efficiency. Again, the ministry of health can collaborate with some private health centers who accept the NHIS card in accessing basic health care to build more health centers in the Central Tongu District in order to help individuals who find it difficult to access health care due to distance problem.