Health News of Thursday, 20 March 2008

Source: GNA

New tariffs for medical care in hospitals approved

Koforidua, March 20, GNA - The Management of the Koforidua Regional Hospital has announced that the National Health Insurance Authority and the Ghana Health Service have approved new tariffs for medical care in all the country's medical facilities.

The Hospital has therefore advised its clients to register with the National Health Insurance Scheme to enable them benefit from subsidised health care in times of ill health. A press statement signed by Dr Obeng Apori, director of the Hospital, said un-insured clients would be expected to pay deposits before they would be admitted for treatment. The release explained that payment of deposits would enable the Hospital to replenish its stock of medical consumables in order to make them always available.

The statement expressed concern about the habit of some people turning benches provided for waiting patients at the various departments into sleeping couches and advised those involved to stop the practice, else the hospital would be forced to call in the law enforcement agencies. The statement said due to the heavy workload at the Hospital's casualty ward in the evenings, especially after 2000 hours, staff on duty would only attend to emergency cases.