The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) owes the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Hospital in Kumasi a staggering GH¢1 million.

The huge debt cropped up because NHIS claims sent to the NHIA by the authorities of the hospital since January to September, this year, has not been serviced.

The refusal of the NHIA to pay the colossal money had created serious cash troubles for the hospital and had also adversely affected the provision of medical care for patients.

Dr Yaw Bio, Director of Health Service at the hospital, said on Angel FM that his outfit had continually pressed the NHIA to settle the debt but so far their efforts had been in vain.

According to him, the hospital is struggling to get medical supplies to take care of the numerous patients who visit the busy hospital on daily basis for treatment.

Dr Bio lamented that people who supply the hospital with medical suppliers have also decided not to do so again since the hospital has not been able to pay back earlier supplies.

He said the hospital is now cash-strapped, bemoaning that the hospital doesn’t even have money to purchase medicine and other needed items to work as required of them.

Dr Bio disclosed that the hospital as a matter of urgency had, therefore, decided to refuse the NHIS cards from patients and rather treat patients in the cash and carry format to help raise funds.

He, however, explained that students and patients who visit the medical facility with emergency cases would not be affected by the new directive of the hospital’s management.

Dr Bio stated that the hospital is also facing deep financial problem, adding that the NHIA’s refusal to settle the amount it owed the hospital for the past nine months “is the cause of the hospital’s troubles.”