A 35-year-old woman in the Bawku West District of the Upper East Region has called on the Management of the National Health Insurance Scheme to investigate why she was asked to pay GHc10.00 for a folder before her daughter could receive medical care at the Zebilla Government Hospital.
She wants the Officer in charge of the Clients’ Unit of the National Health Insurance at the Zebilla Government Hospital to be punished, for insisting on the money even when he saw that the baby’s life was in danger and could die if not treated immediately.
According to the woman, Azumah Atiah, her 1 and half months old child was not well and had to rush her to the Zebilla Government Hospital, and upon reaching the Out Patient Department (OPD) for a folder, she was told to pay an amount of GHc10.00 for the folder.
Azumah Atiah, said, her plea with the Officer at the Clients’ Unit of the Hospital to accept GHc 5.00 so as to take her sick daughter through the process of treatment, proved futile.
“The Officer insisted that I get all the GHc10.00 before I could be given the Folder for my daughter to receive treatment. The only money I had on me was GHc5.00 and the Officer was not ready for that. I had to rush to the night market to see if I will meet some of the people from my village, who had come for the Monday Market, to help me.” She said.
When she returned to the Hospital, after an unsuccessful search, poor Azumah Atiah met her 1 and half-year-old daughter in a critical condition and as she rushed to Clients’ Unit to continue pleading, a good samaritan gave her GHc5.00 to enable her get the folder for her sick daughter.
“My brother, when I paid the money and had the folder, my daughter died shortly. I wasted time on processing document and now my daughter is dead.” She lamented.
The Assembly member for Aramkoliga a suburb of Zebilla, Hon. Layo Nduy Nguy was not happy with the conduct of the Officer at the Clients’ Unit of the National Health Insurance of the Hospital and wants the NHIS Management to investigate the issue and if the Officer is at fault, should be brought to book.
But an Officer of the National Health Insurance Scheme in Bolgatanga told the Daily Guide that, if the woman had registered with the Scheme, then she need not pay GHc10.00 for a folder. However, if she had registered and has even been issued with a folder before, and had misplaced it, then, the Officer would ask that the client pays for a new folder.