The Universal Access to Healthcare Coalition, a network of NGOs, say universal health coverage in Ghana cannot be achieved until 2076 looking at the current pace of progress of the National Health Insurance Scheme.

In a report released by the group, nearly 15 million Ghanaians pay for health in the form of the “cash and carry” system making up 65 per cent of the population despite a decade of the NHIS existence.

Acknowledging the basis of the introduction of the scheme over the past decade, the report says “by design, the NHIS is pro-poor, but in practice majority of the beneficiaries are in the upper income bracket, with the poor being left out”.

“The majority of NHIS income comes from the VAT levy which everyone pays. It is simply unfair that a significant portion of the population remain excluded simply because they cannot afford to pay twice”, it added.

It charges government through the NHIA to accept the fact that annual premium payments for the majority of population is not working.

Also, they should look to raise additional financing for health through other innovative mechanisms and progressive taxation rather than through costly and inequitable premiums.

During the 10th anniversary celebration of the NHIA yesterday, the Chief Executive Officer of the Authority, Sylvester Mensah, confirmed that with the increased enrolment of subscribers, payment of claims has been a major challenge, threatening the life of the scheme.

Mr. Mensah said they are pushing forward with proposals for levies on tobacco and alcoholic beverages, as well as an increase of the NHIA, road fund levy and 20 percent of communication service tax assigned to health insurance and also looking at levies from the petro-chemical industry.

Meanwhile, these proposals have been opposed by some stakeholders considering the extra burden it places on tax payers.