Saltpond (C/R), Jan. 29, GNA - Mr Robert Quainoo-Arthur, Mfantseman Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) has appealed to the National Health Insurance Council to remove the time limit its client has to spend on admission at a hospital. The MCE said the decision of the Health Insurance Scheme not to pay for the extra days which its clients overstayed at health facilities was a defeat of the objectives for introducing the scheme.

Making the appeal at the annual performance review meeting of health facilities in the Mfantseman Municipality, Mr Quainoo-Arthur gave the time limit as directed by the Council, as that, a client with complicated pregnancy, or hypertension, or anaemia is not to be on admission for more than four days, while malaria should not be more than three days. "This means if the client has not recovered within the stipulated days, the hospital authorities must discharge them, else the extra days would not be covered by the scheme," he pointed out.

Dr Kwabena Sarpong, Municipal Director of Health Services said three Community Health Planning Services (CHPS) at Immuna, Eyisam and Yamoransa could not be used due to logistics constraint facing the directorate. He mentioned under staffing, staff accommodation, freezing equipment for the mortuary and delay in payment of claims by the Health Insurance Scheme as some of the challenges facing the directorate. Dr Sarpong said community apathy towards health activities and poor environmental sanitation were the other problems they were trying to solve.

Mr Frempong Hayford, Saltpond District Hospital Administrator said the hospital had acquired a digital Ultra Sound machine to enhance the health delivery system. He commended the Municipal Assembly for donating a six-bedroom bungalow to the hospital, and Saltpond citizens in Italy for donating an ambulance. The Administrator said the maternity ward had been renovated and plans were afoot for giving other wards a face-lift.