The government has engaged stakeholders to address the high cost of medicines, the Chief Executive Officer of National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Dr Bernard Okoe Boye has said.

He explained that the canker had been identified as one of the major factors crippling effective health care delivery in the country.
 
“The rising health care cost is a key challenge to health care finance initiatives.

The government is working closely with stakeholders to address the cost of medicines through tax rebates and other incentives to boost local production,” he stated.
 
Dr Okoe Boye said this at the launch of the Private Health Insurance Week held recently on the theme; Building sustainable private health insurance as a viable channel for universal health coverage.
 
The event which was put together by the Ghana Private Health Insurance Association had representatives from the private health insurance providers, healthcare professionals, government agencies, and non-governmental organizations among others in attendance.
 

Complement

On his part, the Chairman of the planning committee and CEO of Equity Insurance, Mr. Elton Afari, said the private health insurance complements the public healthcare.
 
“We complement each other to achieve universal health coverage, we want every Ghanaian to have access to health care.

There is this perception that private health insurance is very expensive but there is an array of products to choose from depending on your preferences and choices,” he said.
 
He also commended the government for what they have done with the NHIA.

However, Mr Afari noted that there was more room for improvement.
 
“Our operations are to complement and also help each individual for us as a country to achieve the universal health coverage that as a country we seek to achieve,” he said.
 

Event

The week-long event, which commenced on Monday July 24 to Friday, July 28, 2023, had a series of activities to create awareness and education on why the private health insurance was the same as the national health insurance.
 
There were also free health screenings, conferences, and panel discussions to educate Ghanaians about the various health insurance options available and how they can choose the right plan to suit their individual needs and financial capacities.
 
The Private Health Insurance Week was climaxed with a dinner and award ceremony and dinner to recognise outstanding individuals, organisations, and initiatives that have exemplified excellence in the field of private health insurance.

SOURCE: GraphicOnline