Kumasi, Jan. 20, GNA - Mr Kwasi Addai-Donkor, Ashanti Regional Administrator of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) has called for an end to the practice of over and under invoicing of medical supplies, warning that it could sabotage the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). He was emphatic that cost escalation and shortages of drugs engendered by such practices could not be accepted under the NHIS. Mr Addai-Donkor was speaking at the annual regional procurement review workshop organised by the GHS at the Miklin Hotel in Kumasi on Tuesday.
It brought together all the key people involved in the medical supply chain to discuss ways of promoting efficiency and transparency. Mr Addai-Donkor said when the scheme becomes operational, purchases of health services would look out for value for money and that their expectation would be to access services at affordable and competitive prices.
"The NHIS places a heavy burden on us to be as efficient as possible", he said.
The Regional Health Administrator reminded the suppliers that under the NHIS, incidence of violation of "contract terms are likely to culminate in legal battles and that the institutions continued accreditation would depend on how well they are able to respond to the needs of the purchaser".
Mr Desmond Antwi, the Regional Procurement Manager, said they would no longer accept the situation where some suppliers supply goods to the Regional Health Directorate without signing a contract with it. He said effective measures had been put in place to promote efficiency of the Procurement Unit and enhance fairness and level field for all competing suppliers.