The implementation of the Capitation scheme by the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has kicked off with a lot of confusion and chaos in some health facilities.
Some sick persons have been turned away from health facilities because the NHIA did not place them there for treatment.
Others have also been placed at health facilities very far from their location.
And to make matters worse, many health facilities, especially private ones are vigorously kicking against the scheme, which they argue will degrade the quality of health delivery in the Region
The Capitation is expected to create a healthcare market-place where subscribers choose their providers and generate provider competition in terms of improving infrastructure, equipment, the relationship between medical personnel and patients.
But the implementation has not gone on smoothly in the region.
Private facilities have threatened to pull out of the capitation scheme because the conditions are simply impracticable.
One medical practitioner who spoke to Luv News on condition of anonymity said capitation will lead to the deterioration of health care in the region.
According to him, the NHIA failed to involve all stakeholders, especially patients and health service providers, in the drawing up of the capitation program.
“It is as if somebody sitting somewhere has done a research and NHIA believes that is going to bring their cost down and they came to place it on us”, he said.
Ashanti region recorded the highest maternal mortality in Ghana last year, 200 women have lost their lives as at the end of the third quarter of 2011.
One gynecologist believes the region is only going to get worse with capitation.
The NHIA used to pay about GHS12.00 per visit for pregnant women who visited private health facilities.
Under capitation, they are to be paid GHS1.70, an amount the health service providers describe as simply impracticable.
Luv News visit to some health facilities also indicated lot of chaos at the out patients department.
One patient was denied medical care because he had just found out he had been allocated primary health care provider at Juaben, though he lives at Ejisu, over 15km away.
Hospital authorities say the problem is compounded by the failure of the NHIA to deliver promised logistics on time.
A software for the management of the new scheme only arrived at the health facilities two days to the beginning of implementation.
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