The Deputy Health Minister, Moses Dani Baah on Monday tore off a notice at Dansoman Health Centre in Accra, requesting patients including Children under five years and others exempted from payment to pay for services.

The Deputy Minister who was on a working visit to some Health Institutions in the Accra Metropolis took the action because the notice was a contravention of government’s policy. The notice requested patients including children under five years, pregnant women and those aged above 70 years who qualify for exemptions to pay for those services.

The notice, signed by management of the hospital cited economic constraints as the main reason for their action, especially with the delay in the release of government’s reimbursement. It stated “patients under this category will have to pay for the services until there are enough funds to procure adequate drugs and other facilities.”

The Minister told the health officials that it was an offence to deny patients their right to the exemptions since the free medical service to people in that category is a government policy. He directed all health institutions to continue to offer exemption services to all such qualified patients adding that the Ministry will accordingly reimburse all institutions on time.

Under the government’s exemption policy, children under five years, pregnant women and the aged above 70 years are to be provided with free medical services at all public health institutions. These institutions are expected to forward their claims for reimbursement to the Ministry of Health.