A former Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Professor Agyeman Badu Akosa, has appealed to President John Evans Atta Mills not to implement the one-time premium of the National health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). He said although the pledge of a one-time premium was documented in the manifesto of the ruling party, it was impracticable and unsustainable. Speaking at the 61st New Year School on the topic, “Promoting the Nation’s Health,’ Prof. Akosa, now with the Department of Pathology of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, said globally nowhere was the one-time premium for health insurance practiced. “Even with the so-called developed countries that are well endowed, they continue to pay premiums yearly,” he added. “Please Mr President, we know you pledged, but carefully consider that pledge and set up an independent body for a cost and benefit analysis of the one-time premium,” he appealed to the President in his presentation to participants. Prof. Akosa had proposals for the sustainability of a NHIS. It included a health and sports lottery, the proceeds of which could be shared in the proportion of 60/40 for the development of health and sports in the country. Another proposal he suggested was the yearly contribution of GH¢10 each by all Ghanaians to the NHIS. He said that could give an addition of about GH¢90 million to the scheme and strengthen sustainability. Prof. Akosa said the contribution by Ghanaians to the NHIS was the right and wise thing to do, as it was important for all to contribute towards their own health and well-being. He also called for innovative and culturally sensitive scheme, so that in areas where barter still persisted, payments in kind for premiums would be acceptable. He explained that in some communities in Ghana, livestock was not sold but was used as barter for services, social contracts and other needs. That could be innovatively adopted in order to ensure that all were roped onto the scheme. The Director of Research and Development of Zoomlion, Mr Nathaniel Armah, in his presentation which focused on environmental sanitation, challenged policy makers to come up with a definite framework for dealing with environmental issues and enable the private sector to participate in environmental sanitation by ensuring the right remuneration and asked district assemblies to build their capacities in environmental sanitation management. Source: Daily Graphic/Ghana