NHIS: One-time premium in 2012; but NPP says it’s nonstarter

The much hyped campaign promise of the ruling National Democratic to implement a one-time premium under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), after years of no show, may materialized in 2012, if what promised by the 2012 budget statement is executed.

Presenting the 2012 budget statement to Parliament Wednesday, Finance Minister, Dr Kwabena Duffuor said one-time premium forms part of the NDC government’s commitment to continue the implementation of a number of pro-poor intervention programmes that will provide equal opportunities and improvement in the well-being of Ghanaians.

The scope of the numerous social intervention programmes, he emphasized, will be expanded to benefit a greater number of vulnerable people in the society.

“In order to accelerate the achievement of universal health coverage, government will commence the implementation of the one-time premium payment policy under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).”

Dr Duffuor was hopeful the review of the NHIS law would result in a major restructuring of the scheme at the district, regional and national levels.

Touting the government’s achievements under the health sector, the Finance Minister said to ensure adequate coverage, the Ministry of Health collaborated with the Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare where the very poor in society were identified for registration under the National Health Insurance Scheme.

“Major achievements in the area of claims management were made and this included auditing of 28,925,293 claims and the recovering of GH¢471,215 and GH¢755,582 from services and medicines respectively,” he claimed.

The Minister also mentioned the establishment of 276 Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) Zones.

Minority Spokesperson on Health, Dr Richard Anane, told Joy News Dzifa Bampoh that the government is only trying to play politics with the NHIS.

He is at a loss why the government put it into the budget, knowing very well that implementing the one-time premium in Ghana is impossible.

He said even though government had made it a campaign promise prior to the 2008 elections, it was advised that the new scheme would create a problem for the NHIS, and thought the government would have taken a cue and done its home work.

“I only think that the government has only shown this in its last budget just because it made a campaign promise, not because it is a practicable alternative. We believe that the health of the people of this nation should not be taken to the platform of politics. It is serious and we want the government to take particular note of it and to do the right [thing].”

He maintained that of all the countries with an insurance scheme, only Australia attempted the one-term premium, and though it is a well endowed country, he said the implementation failed.

http://edition.myjoyonline.com/pages/news/201111/76610.php
From: Ghana l Isaac Essel l Myjoyonline.com

Cabinet approves training of 250 doctors by Cuban govt

The government of Ghana has reached an agreement with the Cuban government to train about 250 Ghanaian medical doctors next year.

This was announced by the acting Minister of Health, Haruna Iddrisu, Saturday, on Joy FM’s news analysis prgoramme Top Story.

The disclosure comes in the wake of a two-week-long strike by doctors in the country over their migration onto the single spine salary structure, in which all pleas to them to rescind their action are yet to be considered.

“I happy to know that the government has just reached a cooperation agreement with the government of Cuba to train some 250 more doctors beginning January 2012,” Haruna Iddrisu stated.

He said Cabinet gave approval to the agreement at its last sitting.

To ensure a fair distribution, the care-taker Minister of Health remarked: “I am insisting that we should decentralised it, so that, at least, each regional coordinating council can have at least 20 persons trained from that region, [and] dispersed across the district.”

He proposed a review of the operations of the teaching hospitals in the country and believed, “in future they can be on their own if they are given some financial autonomy,” to enable them even recruit doctors.

To further bridge the doctor-patient ratio gap in Ghana, he also made known that the Turkish government has also announced, through its Minister of Health, its indication to support specialist training of Ghanaian, and was upbeat the training would be extended to medical doctors.

Haruna Iddrisu concurred with persons who said teaching hospitals must be made faculties of medical schools.

He said government is doing its part to improve facilities at the various medical schools, and called on corporate entities to support the government's effort as part of their corporate social responsibility, so that the various medical schools can adjust their cutoff point to enroll more people.

Story by Isaac Esse/ myjoyonline.com
http://edition.myjoyonline.com/pages/news/201110/75203.php

Doctors appalled by Rojo’s statement; want him sanctioned

The Ghana Medical Association has expressed grave reservations about comments made by the deputy Minister of Health, daring striking doctors to resign or accept government’s offer.

It has been two weeks since the doctors and government, represented by the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC), have been haggling over the matter of their placement on the new pay structure. The Labour Commission has therefore directed that the doctors and the FWSC go into compulsory arbitration on Monday.

Even before meeting the NLC, Rojo Mettel-Nunoo, deputy Minister of Health, Friday made audacious statements on Joy FM, much to the displeasure of many doctors.

General Secretary of the Ghana Medical Association, Sodzi Sodzi-Tetteh has described the minister’s statements as “sad”, adding that they are “extremely prejudicial”.

He told Dzifa Bampoh on Joy FM’s Top Story that though they are yet to be given any ultimatum from the government, statements, such as the one made by Mr Mettle-Nuoo, have the tendency to mar the arbitration process and fundamentally undermine any negotiation process.

“You are supposed to negotiate in good faith, and you are not supposed to becoming to negotiation table with threats.”

Dr. Sodzi-Tetteh also called on the National Labour Commission to “hold the Hon. Deputy Minister in total contempt of its proceedings; hauled him before their panel and sanction him promptly”.

He said reprimanding the Deputy Minister would give “integrity” to the arbitration process; otherwise, the process would be “fundamentally flawed”.

He said doctors, on their part, are ready to meet the FWSC and negotiate, but accused the latter of taking entrenched position and unwilling to amend its decision.

Meanwhile, a labour analyst, Ben Agbai, has counseled both parties to avoid the arbitration, warning they may not like the consequences.

“Infact, arbitration settlement are lose, lose settlement; so if you can avoid arbitration settlement, the better”

He explained further: “It may turn out not to be in the interest of either of them…because they don’t have any control over what the arbitrator is going to say. The arbitrator is only going to look at the facts on the ground and give a ruling that both sides are expected to abide by.”

Mr Agbai was worried about the standoff, saying it could be likened to the proverbial elephants fighting where the grass suffer, noting that it is the general public that is facing the brunt of the two parties’ actions.

Meanwhile, the Ghana Medical Association Council is expected to meet on Sunday October 23 to review the doctors' strike.

Story by Isaac Essel/Myjoyonline.com
http://edition.myjoyonline.com/pages/news/201110/75183.php

Doctors must take govt’s offer or resign – Rojo

Deputy Minister of Health, Rojo Mettle-Nunoo, has given the strongest indication yet that government is not prepared to yield to the doctors’ demand and has dared them to take the government’s offer or leave it.

He also stated - now that the Ghana Medical Association and Fair Wages and Salaries Commission would undergo a compulsory arbitration - the doctors have no choice but to call off the strike, since their resolve would amount to flouting the rules of engagement of arbitration.

He told Joy News’ Araba Koomson on Friday that it would be “unethical” for the doctors to insist on going on strike whilst the arbitration continues.

“The rules of engagement of arbitration are very clear; that the parties, before arbitration can be empanelled, cannot continue with the lockout action, and cannot continue with the strike action.

“And that it behoves them (doctors), if they want to prepare themselves for arbitration, to go back to work immediately. It is not an option that is available to them.”

Mr Mettle-Nunoo minced no words when he challenged the doctors to advise themselves, and if possible, resign from government health facilities and resort to their private practice.

“The options are clear…the reason for establishing the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission was to establish fair wages. They are free to advise themselves if, they think the employer, which is government, is unable to meet their demand; I think they have an option of going to private practice.”

The Deputy Minister, who appeared livid by the insistence of the doctors said the doctors are not reasoning along that lines life lost can never be regained.

“If they can promise me that they can bring every single person who died in Ghana back to life, right, I can accept the kind of things they are going through.”

It has been two weeks since the doctors and government have been haggling over the matter of their placement on the new pay structure. The Labour Commission has directed that the doctors and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission go into compulsory arbitration on Monday. Junior doctors have served notice they will not accede to any compulsory arbitration, contending the last time they did, they were the poorer for it.

Meanwhile, the Ghana Medical Association Council is expected to meet on Sunday October 23 to review the doctors' strike.


Story by Isaac Essel/myjoyonline.com/Ghana
http://edition.myjoyonline.com/pages/news/201110/75157.php

FWSC’s ‘Makola bargaining’ won’t work for doctors – Adom-Winful

President of the Ghana Medical Association Dr. Emmanuel Adom-Winful has rejected government’s back-and-forth approach being adopted to resolve the doctors’ strike action.

He told Joy News on Thursday that the association has been “very disappointed about our encounters” with the various groups which are working to find a lasting solution to the impasse.

Numerous meetings this week to address the concerns of the doctors have failed to produce any result. The doctors were hoping their meeting with the Council of State Thursday, would have provided a team with the mandate to negotiate over their concerns relating to their migration onto the new pay policy.

Meanwhile, the Ghana Medical Association and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) are both preparing to face off at the next arbitration meeting on Monday.

There are concerns that the arbiter – National Labour Commission – may toe government’s line. Though Dr Adom-Winful would not join the speculation train on that, he remarked “that would be very unfortunate”, adding “that would be an indictment on the Commission’s independence”.

He was appalled at the ad hoc approach in determining the salaries of workers in the country. He also accused the FWSC of abandoning a scientific, transparent assessment – evaluation of salaries – that was conducted, which he said the GMA is insisting should form the bases and reference for determining salaries for public service workers.

“The issue has come down to bargaining, the higher you bargain, the more you get, there is no scientific basis to what fair wages is doing today.”

Makola bargaining

He recalled that a second evaluation report by experts initiated by FWSC was accepted, however, “now you the same organisation has thrown away those results and you are resorting to ‘Makola bargaining’ procedures.”

Nevertheless, Dr Adom-Winful maintained that the GMA is “very much concern about the situation”, noting that it has taken them a year to come to this far. “The GMA is not recalcitrant,” he stressed.

“What we are saying is that if you are asking us to go back to work, please let us see in place a proper high-powered group that is sufficiently mandated to do this job, now that the job has been taken from a scientific hand.”

He also downplayed on calls on him to resign his position for his public comments on the strike, especially with respect death at the hospitals, which some say were callous.

Meanwhile, the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has rebuffed media reports detailing how much they are paid and suggesting that they are demanding 40 percent pay increment across board.

GMA General Secretary, Dr. Sodzi Sodzi-Tetteh told Joy News that it is also not true that they are rejecting offers of between GH¢4,200 and GH¢4,800 from the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission.


Story by Isaac Essel/myjoyonline.com/Ghana
http://edition.myjoyonline.com/pages/news/201110/75130.php

Crunch meeting to resolve doctors’ strike suspended

A crucial meeting involving the National Labour Commission (NLC), Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FSWC) and Ghana Medical Association (GMA) to resolve the week-long strike by doctors on Monday morning has been suspended.

The meeting, a “compulsory arbitration” was at the instance of the NLC to settle the dispute between the FWSC and GMA on the migration of the doctors onto the single spine salary structure.

The meeting became necessary after a stalled negotiation between the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission and Ghana Medical Association on the latter’s migration.

At the meeting, the two feuding parties informed the Commission of an earlier consultation held by the FWSC and GMA, which they indicated their optimism of reaching an agreement on the outstanding issue within 48 hours, a press release issued by the NLC’s Public Relations Officer, Mohammed Afum, said.

They therefore requested the arbiter to suspend the arbitration process to enable them carry on with their negotiations and report back to the NLC on Wednesday, October 19, 2011.

Joy FM’s Seth Kwame Boateng who was monitoring the meeting reported that the parties emerged from the meeting with smiles.

They were also seen exchanging pleasantries with the Chief Executive of FWSC, George Smith Graham, and President of the GMA, Dr. Emmanuel Adom-Winful, in a warm hand shake, a gesture that could mean something good may come out of their negotiations soon.

“I saw them happy this morning, so let’s pray and hope that something good or positive will come out today,” Seth Boateng remarked.


Story by Isaac Essel/Ghana/Myjoyonline.com
http://edition.myjoyonline.com/pages/news/201110/74858.php