The performance of the newly introduced Capitation Payment System of the National Health Insurance Scheme is making steady progress at Bongo in the Upper East region.

Although some residents of Bongo expressed skepticism about the system, progress seems to have been made.

The District Manager of the NHIA in Bongo, Mahamadu Seidu Akugre says the capitation system is picking up quite well.

Mahamadu Seidu Akugre

Speaking at an NHIA stakeholders’ engagement forum in the district, Mr. Akugre said his office at the end of October this year had successfully enrolled 48.52% of active NHIA subscribers to their preferred primary healthcare providers.

He said contrary to perceptions that NHIA was dying, it is very much active and the number of subscribers keeps increasing across the country.

The Capitation Provider Payment method which allows one to choose a particular health center they will visit whenever they need healthcare.

Under the capitation system, the healthcare provider is paid a pre-determined fixed rate by the NHIA, to provide a defined set of services for each individual enrolled with the provider for a fixed period of time.

The capitation payment system under the NHIA, is being tried on pilot bases in three regions of Ghana including the Upper East, Upper West and Volta Regions and the Bongo District is the selected district for piloting the system in the Upper East Region.  

The individual chooses during registration, the healthcare provider he/she prefers and therefore, would have to go there anytime he/she needs healthcare.

District Chief Executive of Bongo, Alexis Ayamdoo said government is doing all it can to make healthcare delivery easily-accessible and affordable for the people of Bongo.

He indicated that up to twenty Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compounds were active within the Bongo district and a site had been acquired for the construction of a new Bongo District Hospital.

In an exclusive interview with Joy News, Upper East Regional Director of the NHIA, Sebastian Alagpulinsa said offices of the Authority have been stretched to work 24-hour shifts to ensure that desperate clients are registered.

He was hopeful that with time, more clients will be registered and the crowds will eventually diminish.