National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has given assurances that distressed hospitals nationwide would be paid by March.

NHIA owes the hospital a total of GH₵14.2m.

The promise follows reports that some health facilities are cash strapped and are having to compel some patients to pay for electricity.

According to them this is to avert the imminent collapse of their facilities; due to the failure of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to pay claims.

The second largest hospital in Ashanti region, Kumasi South is in crisis. It owes Electricity Company of Ghana GH₵308,629 in electricity bills. The hospital spends GH₵20,000 on power monthly and an average of GH₵30,000 to fuel generators whenever power supply is cut.

Their largest source of revenue which is claim payments by the NHIA, is four months in arrears. NHIA owes the hospital GH₵1,125,414.

Management has decided to levy patients insured and uninsured. Patients are paying for photocopy, receipts and injections. A patient is levied GH₵6 for electricity.

“The kind of expenditures we are making if we don’t do something the alternative will be [that] we can’t provide services”. A Finance officer Richard Appiah told Luv FM’s Erastus Asare Donkor.

The hospital is one of several health facilities owed by the NHIA. The Ghana Health Service says the authority owes more than GH₵14.2 million in unpaid claims.

the Regional Medical Director Abdulai Adams disclosed this at the regional annual performance review in Wa in the Upper West region.

Acknowledging the crisis, Chief Executive Officer of the NHIA, Sylvester Mensah promised to pay all 2014 arrears by the close of March.

“We are working seriously with the Ministry of Finance to get some funds and we are very hopeful”, he said on Joy News.

The NHIA is funded by a 2.5% NHIL levy.