Lack of prompt payment of claims is hampering the smooth implementation of the National Health Insurance Scheme in most municipalities and districts in the Volta Region. Dr Timothy Letsa, the Regional Director of Health Service who disclosed this, said though the scheme had increased Out Patient-Department attendance, reduced maternal mortality ratio and increased internally generated funds, the lack of prompt payment of claims was making it difficult to separate revenue to replenish medicines and non-medicine supplies needed to enhance quality service delivery. Dr Letsa was speaking at the 2009 annual, review conference of the regional directorate of the Ghana Health Service (GHS). The five-day conference is on the theme, 'Implementation of the National Health Insurance Scheme in the Volta Region - Challenges facing the healthcare provider.' Dr. Letsa said due to inadequate infrastructure, staff accommodation and equipment to facilitate the work of health professionals, some health personnel posted to the region did not report for duty. Out of 12 pharmacists posted to the region, he said only two had reported and only seven biomedical scientists had reported out of the 19 posted there. Colonel (rtd) Cyril Necku, deputy regional minister, cautioned scheme managers and service providers to desist from attitudes which militate against the smooth implementation of the scheme. Mr Nestor Akototse, regional manager of the National Health Insurance Authority, said the delay in the payment of claims to service providers must be traced to delay in late submission of claims by the service providers, inability to vet claims submitted on schedule, over bloated attendance list, poor documentation and disregard for standardised guidance. Source: The Ghanaian Times