A member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) communications team has condemned the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for playing politics with the current state of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). Felix Kwakye-Ofosu described the NPP’s conduct as an "opportunistic intervention" adding that the opposition party just wants to play on the emotions of Ghanaians. The NPP in a statement signed by its Communication Director, Nana Akomea bemoaned what it says is the mismanagement of its flagship health policy by the Mahama-led government. The statement said the threat by healthcare providers not to attend to NHIS cardholders due to nonpayment of claims by government has resulted in the near collapse and needless suffering of the people under the scheme. In a rebuttal on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme Monday, Felix Kwakye-Ofosu said the NHIS under the NDC is vibrant as ever. According to him, the scheme has grown in membership from 8 million in 2008 to 25 million under the NDC which negates the NPP claim that the NHIS is collapsing. "What the NPP is doing is propaganda; they are doing this to feel vindicated and to juxtapose their flagbearer’s claim that the NHIS is collapsing" he said. The NDC youth activist indicated that the conduct of the NPP exposes it ignorance about how the scheme operates. He added that the NHIS for the past four years has improved significantly with the introduction of capitation and a call centre to address the concerns of subscribers nationwide. Conceding that there are sometimes delay in the payment of claims, Kwakye-Ofosu blamed the development on bureaucracy at the various agencies in charge. "In every human institution there are bottlenecks but government is doing all it can to ensure delays in the payment of claims do not recur". Felix Kwakye Ofosu observed that instead of blaming government, the NPP should also propose a cogent solution to the problem.