The practice of patients jumping from one health facility to the other known as “medical shopping”, is threatening the survival of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

The practice involves patients who visit two or more health facilities to get drugs for the same sickness.

Mr Mahama Sakara, Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District NHIS Manager made the observation during the 10th Anniversary celebration of the scheme at Sawla in the Northern Region.

It was on the theme: “Towards Universal Health Coverage; Increasing Enrolment whilst Ensuring Sustainability.”

“The practice is dangerous and if all NHIS card bearers engage in it, most of the schemes stand the risk of collapsing in the near future,” Mr Sakara said.

He patients should only visit a different health facility upon the advice of the first facility on referral basis.

Mr Sakara said the scheme has registered 63,249 people representing 65 per cent of the district’s population.

In addition, the NHIS has purchased 24 bicycles for some community collectors and organised training for all accredited providers and health insurance committee members.

Mr Sakara said the absence of a district hospital, low literacy rate among community members, compromised heath care quality at some health facilities, absence of essential drugs, rising cost of consumables, epidemics and high level of scheme dependence as some of the challenges confronting the NHIS.

Dr Thomas B. Sennor, Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District Director of Health Services said health insurance is one of the important policies ever implemented in the country.

He said it had increased access to health care especially for the poor and vulnerable in the society.

Dr Sennor appealed to the people to practice healthy lifestyles to avoid preventable diseases that put unnecessary financial pressure on the scheme. He called for prudent management of the scheme to enable it benefit a number of people.