Dr. Bernard Okoe-Boy, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), has paid a three-day working visit to the Upper West Region to inspect the progress of work on some NHIA projects in the region.
The Authority is constructing NHIA-standard offices in the Daffiama-Bussie-Issa (DBI) district and the Lawra Municipality.
When that is completed the Lambussie District would be the only district out of the eleven districts and municipalities without an NHIA office.
Briefing the Upper West Regional Minister, Dr. Hafiz Bin Salih on his mission in the region, Dr. Okoe-Boye said he hoped to commission the projects in October this year.
“This year I want to celebrate the Dumba festival with Wa Naa and all the people of the Upper West Region, so hopefully by the time I come for the festival we will come here and commission it, so what that means is that we have just about three months to finish this”, Dr. Okoe-Boye said.
The NHIA CEO said the region had contributed massively to the NHIA membership registration and commended the staff, chiefs and people of the region as well as the Regional Minister for the success chalked.
Dr. Okoe-Boye stated that his presence in the region was also to take stock of the challenges affecting the effective operation of the NHIA in the region.
The NHIA Boss has disclosed that the government was working to clear all NHIS claims areas and that from January to date the government had paid over GHȻ1billion areas while February 2023 claims were being processed for payment.
“I am happy to announce that currently as we speak we are processing February 2023 payment so that we can pay to hospitals.
"Now that we have done this what we expect from the facilities is to do the best for our clients and once that happens it becomes easier to tell people to get registered onto the scheme”, he said.
Mr. Okoe noted that the NHIS was targeting to register at least 20 million people on the scheme by the end of 2023.
The Upper West Regional Minister, Dr. Hafiz Bin Salih, expressed gratitude to the chiefs and people of the region for supporting to ensure the NHIA achieved UHC in the region.
The Minister, however, appealed to the NHIA CEO to speed up the completion of the offices under construction and to resolve the low staffing and inadequate vehicle for the authority in the region to enhance their work.
The Paramount Chief of Wa, Naa Seidu Pelpuo IV, congratulated Dr. Okoe-boye on his appointment as the CEO of the Authority and expressed hope that his astute leadership exhibited during his time as Deputy Minister of Health would be replicated for the success of the NHIA.
Naa Pelpuo conferred on Dr. Okoe-Boye, “Laanfie Naa” (Chief of Health) chieftaincy title for his impact on improving the health sector.
The revered Chief appealed to the NHIA CEO to consider constructing an NHIA office space for the Wa Municipality, befitting for a municipality status.
He said he had demarcated a parcel of land purposely for the construction of the NHIA offices for the Wa Municipality.