Sunday, March 3, 2013

National Health Insurance Authority adjusted its prices upwards

SERVICE providers under the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) are to enjoy upward adjustment of 26 per cent in their tariffs effective February 1, 2013, the Chief Executive of the NHIA, Mr Slyvester Mensah, has announced.
At a press briefing in Accra yesterday, Mr Mensah said prices of medicines on the NHIA list would also go up accordingly to make the service complete.
He said prices of medicines had increased on the market and the idea was to harmonise all the prices and fix a legitimate price under the NHIA medicine list.
Mr Mensah said the review had also resulted in the introduction of additional services under the scheme such as physiotherapy, cataract surgery with lens implant (including the cost of intraocular lens), CT Scan and MRI, as well as chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
He was, however, quick to explain that the chemotherapy and radiotherapy would come along with certain restrictions.
Mr Mensah said the increase in the tariffs would come as a relief to many health service providers, hospitals and other healthcare institutions and centres under the scheme after they had raised concerns about the increasing cost of health care.
He said in furtherance of the general upward adjustments, the scheme had adopted the Ghana Diagnostic Related Groupings (G-DRGs) for payment of the tariffs.
The G-DRG is a payment method in health insurance where related diagnoses are grouped together and the average cost of treatment in that group determined. Health service providers are, therefore, paid according to the diagnosis they give their clients.
Over the years, the providers have complained that the fee paid them by the NHIS was not consistent with price changes on the market.
Mr Mensah said following several appeals from the providers, the NHIS embarked on a review of the fees.
The review, which in itself is considered a highly technical endeavour according to the Chief Executive, was done with assistance from a group of experts and consultants in collaboration with health specialists and physicians in tertiary, secondary and primary hospitals.
 He said it was projected that the modifications and inclusions of the G-DRG structure and the review process had resulted in a number of key changes to the existing  structure.
Mr Mensah said today’s announcement was preceded by a comprehensive nationwide training programme which lasted for a whole year for healthcare providers, representatives of professional associations and scheme staff on the review to ensure a thorough understanding of the changes in order to guarantee a smooth implementation of the new tariff regime.
Mr Mensah expressed his appreciation to providers and stakeholders for their patience and support during the review process.

Six Members of a Syndicate Busted

SIX members of a syndicate have been arrested for allegedly trafficking young Ghanaian women and men to work as house-helps and shop attendants in Gulf countries.
Although the victims were promised attractive salaries of between $3,500 and $9,000 a month and free visas and tickets to those countries, some of them ended up being paid a paultry $100 a month.
 They were also made to work to pay for their tickets and visa fees.
The suspects are Alhaji Dan-Liman, 49, of First Class Travel and Tours at Abossey Okai; Matthew Milla, 35, of Darcam Mission Travel and Tours at Anyaa; Jefferson Amos Albright, 30, a Liberian, and Mitchel Berchie,30, both of Starwell African Recruitment Agency.
The rest are Georgina Adjei, 32, of Georgina Ventures at Ashiaman and Francisca Aku Begbezena, 30, a teacher who acts as an agent by going round churches and other places to recruit young people.
So far, nine women have been rescued from Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Qatar and they are currently assisting the police in their investigations.
The police suspect that more than 1,000 women and men who were sent to those countries under similar circumstances are being subjected to inhuman treatment.
Reports made by the victims to the police spoke of torture and inhuman treatment, resulting in the death of some of them.
According to the reports, some of the victims were made to work without pay, while others were treated like dogs, as food was thrown on the ground for them to pick and eat.
Some of the victims were also said to have been used as sex slaves.
Others were made to sleep in small rooms on roof tops where there was no ventilation.  Some of the rooms were so small that the victims had to bend down before they could enter to rest or sleep.
Explaining the modus operandi of the syndicate, the Director-General of the CID, Commissioner of Police (COP) Mr Prosper Agblor, told the Daily Graphic that the syndicate ran radio programmes and advertisements, visited churches and attended social gatherings where they distributed fliers to woo people to go and work in those countries.
According to him, more than 20 young men and women recruited by the syndicate and other tour companies travelled on a weekly basis to the Gulf countries to seek greener pastures.
On arrival in those countries, their passports, mobile phones and luggage were taken from them, thereby making it extremely difficult for them to call back home and report to any authority the inhuman treatment meted to them.
Mr Agblor said the victims were made to work for several hours without break, after which they were given only a morsel of Syrian bread as food for the day.
He said some of the girls were forcibly turned into sex slaves for their masters to sleep with at will.
They were also given uniforms to distinguish them from other people in their host countries, a situation which made it very difficult for them to escape.
That was because anyone who saw them in the areas where they worked identified them as house-helps from a particular agency.
The people would, therefore, cause their arrest for them to be returned to the labour or recruiting agencies.
According to Mr Agblor, some of the girls were made to work for families in turns — a week with a family and another week with another family.
At the end of the month, the victims were paid nothing because of the employment rules which demanded that workers could only be paid by families after working for them for a minimum of one month.
He said those rescued were a bit enlightened so they demanded to be sent back home because they could not stand the situation any longer.
He said it was when they had decided to return home that they were informed that their tickets and visas had been paid for by the recruiting agencies and, therefore, they had to work to refund such payments.
In Bahrain, for example, a Ghanaian pastor had to intervene to secure the release of some of the victims.

Customs to Introduce innovations in its operations.

This year’s International Customs  Day was celebrated yesterday with a call on the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to introduce innovations in customs processes and procedures to enhance revenue collection and facilitate trade.
The Commissioner General of the GRA, Mr George Blankson, who made the call at the event  in Accra, said as part of efforts to increase revenue generation and facilitate trade, it was important for the Customs Division to ease border congestion, ensure smooth movement of both human and vehicular traffic and protect citizens from dangerous and harmful products.
In a speech read on his behalf, Mr Blankson said such innovations should be underpinned by a high sense of unity of purpose and constant dialogue to resolve any impediments to international trade.
 The International Customs Day is celebrated on January 26 every year by the customs fraternity. The theme for this year’s celebration is: “Innovation for customs progress”.
The day also gives customs an opportunity to honour its dedicated  and hardworking officers, as well as other stakeholders who together occupy unique and important positions in the facilitation of trade and movement of people.
The Commissioner General indicated that the impressive record of performance of the GRA, Customs Division was  well acknowledged.
That, he said, explained why Ghana had been selected to host the 18th World Customs Organisation Regional Conference of Director Generals in Central and West Africa region in March, this year.
For his part, the Commissioner, Customs Division of the GRA, Major General Carl Modey, said for two years running, the performance of customs had been excellent.
He said the division was embarking on an image cleansing exercise to weed out all miscreants, adding that the division was committed to honest and genuine business.
In a message, the Secretary General of World Customs Organisation, Mr  Kunio Mikuriya, said innovation was a key driver for sustainable customs reforms and modernisation.
He said  innovation was not just about designing and implementing something new but it was also about continuing investment in all aspects of customs work, including its human capital.
Mr Mikuriya said innovation itself could be spurred on by many things, including evidence-based research, thought-provoking dialogue, knowledge sharing, solution-driven development, modern management practices, the use of new technologies, dynamic partnerships among all stakeholders, excellent customer relations, and the desire to do better through creative thinking.
The  Marketing and Corporate Affairs Manager of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) in Tema, Mr Kumi Adjei-Sam, in a solidarity message said GPHA and the Customs Division of the GRA had held several meetings to ensure that key challenges that confronted their clients were addressed.
He said one of the key outcomes of those interactions was the connection of all state institutions involved in permit issuances for clearance of items through the port to the GCNET platform.

Man shot and killed a welder at Oyarifa

A 36 year-old man who allegedly shot and killed a welder at Oyarifa, near Adenta on Sunday afternoon has been arrested by the Madina Police
The suspect, Eric Yaw Asantem who operates a car rental service, at one of the hotels in Accra, after shooting the deceased, Yaw Acheampong, aged 25, on the forehead at close range turned himself over to the police.
According to the Madina Divisional Crime Officer, Superintendent Amos Yelisong the incident happened at Oyarifa gravel pit area, where both the suspect lived. He said the suspect and his wife, Mrs Rosemary Abena Asante has been married for the past I2 years, without an issue.
He said that difficulty generated misunderstanding between the couple. The suspect later married a second wife and had two children with her.
The Crime Officer said about three months ago, after a heated argument, the suspect packed all his belongings and left the house to live with the second wife at Madina.
He said on that fateful day, the wife left the house early in the morning for Amasaman to visit a relative and left the keys to the house to a neighbour.
While at Amasaman, the woman called the Acheampong and two other youngmen, who had been running errands for her to collect the keys from the neighbour and clean the house for her.
Supt Yelisong said the suspect in the company of a friend drove to the house in the afternoon to check on his dogs and was annoyed when he found the boys in the house. Therefore, ordered them to leave and they complied.
He asserted that as they were leaving the house,  the suspect realised that the Acheampong had locked the main door to the house and was taking the keys away.The suspect ordered Acheampong so he ordered him to hand over the keys, but he refused with the explantation that the suspect wife had told them to hand over the keys to the neighbour after the work so they would do so.
Supt Yelisong said the suspect, insisted on collecting the key but Acheampong called the suspect wife on phone and told him about what had happened. The wife, Mrs Asare instructed Acheampong not to give the keys to the man because her husband had also got his set of keys to the house.
He said at that stage the suspect became annoyed, entered his car and beckoned the deceased to come closer. As soon as Acheampong got to the window of the car, the suspect, fired and shot him on his foreheads, killing him instantly.
He said the two youngmen took to their heels and raised an alarm, but the suspect sensing danger drove off in his Toyota Highlander vehicle to the Madina police where he lodged a complaint.
The Crime Officer said the suspect would be arraigned before court on Wednesday on a provisional charge of murder.

Fake Doctor Arrested by police in Adabraka

A 36-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly parading himself as a doctor form the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) and succeeded in defrauding several people of monies running into thousands of both local and foreign currencies.
Among his victims are wine shop owners, car dealers, dealers in computer, air conditioners, mobile phone dealers and operators of boutiques and supermarkets.
Currently, there are more than 20 cases of fraud lodged against him at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) headquarters and some local police stations.
The suspect, Alvin Fiifi Mensah, alias Dr Collins Amoah, who had been on the police wanted list for some years now, was finally arrested at a Guest House within the Regimanuel Grey Estates on the Spintex Road on Tuesday, January 22, 20I3 following a tip off.
At the time of his arrest he was allegedly found to be in the room with a woman.
A number of his victims thronged the Adabraka Police Station in Accra upon hearing of his arrest.
The Director-General of the CID, Commissioner of Police (COP) Mr Prosper Agblor, immediately directed the transfer of the suspect to the CID headquarters for further investigations.
According to the Adabraka District Crime Officer, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Mr Ebenezer Nketsiah, the suspect was arrested, following complaints made by five women who dealt in wine and other foreign drinks.
He said the five victims lost various amounts totalling GHc50,000 to the suspect.
Mr Nketiah said the owner of a wine shop at the 37 Military Hospital area lost GH¢32,000, Say Cheers Wine Shop, GH¢4,4I0, Mawu Drinkables at West Legon, GH¢I0,I00, a wine shop at Dzorwulu GH¢2,!52.
He  explained that the suspect, who often introduced himself as Dr Collins Amoah, usually operated every Friday moving from one wine shop to the other in Accra.
According to Mr Nketiah, the suspect would often take a quantity of drinks from his unsuspecting victims for a party by doctors at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
The suspect, he said, would then issue post-dated cheques to his victims after collecting  boxes of wine and champaigne.
Mr Nketiah said the cheques were often dishonoured upon presentation at the banks.
He said the suspect allegedly admitted committing the offence in his caution statement to the police and indicated that after collecting the drinks he (suspect) sold them at cheaper prices.

Killer Driver Granted Bail

THE truck driver alleged to have  crushed a taxi at the Okponglo Junction and instantly killed two Level I00 students of the University of Ghana, Legon,  has been granted bail by the Madina District Magistrate Court.
 Kwaku Ababio, 47, who made his first appearance before the court was granted bail in the sum  GH¢15,000 with two sureties, one of which is to be justified.
 The Legon Police Command which arrested the driver arraigned him  on charges of inconsiderate driving and negligently causing harm.
Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Agnes Boafo told the court that on Friday, January 18, 2013, at about 1:30 a.m.,  the taxi driver, Gilbert Darko,  25,  was in charge a Kia Avera taxi, with registration number GE 645 X, from Okponglo towards the Legon campus of the University of Ghana with two students on board.
 Ababio, she said,  was also driving a Mercedes Benz refuse truck, with registration number  GE 4707-12, from Madina towards the Tetteh Quarshie Roundabout when the two  cars collided in the Okponglo traffic box.
The occupants of the taxi, namely, Lordina Fobih and Deborah Akosua-Denkyiraa Benaye, both 19,  sustained  serious  injuries and were rushed to the 37 Military Hospital where they were pronounced dead on arrival.
According to Chief Inspector Boafo,  Darko who also sustained severe injuries is, however, on admission at the 37 Military Hospital while the bodies of the deceased had been deposited in the mortuary of the same hospital.
The Magistrate, Mariama Samnio  admitted the accused to bail, while the docket has been  forwarded to the Attorney-General’s Department for advice.
The Daily Graphic on  January I9 , 20I3,  carried the tragic story of  the two  female students of the University of Ghana, Legon, as having died in an accident at Okponglo Junction when the taxi on which they were travelling collided with a refuse truck when the amber lights of the six traffic lights were blinking simultaneously.
The blinking of the amber lights meant that drivers should drive cautiously, since any of them could cross the intersection.
 Lordina  and Deborah who  were residents of the Elizabeth Sey Frances Hall, were said to be returning to the campus  after socialisation when the incident occurred.
Lordina had been identified as the daughter of Professor Dominic Fobih, a former Minister for Lands, Mines and Forestry.
mary.mensah@graphic.com.gh

8,964 Inmates of various Psychiatric hospital registered

A TOTAL of  8,964 inmates of the various psychiatric institutions in the country have been registered onto the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) as part of efforts to extend coverage of the scheme to various vulnerable groups across the country.
Additionally 1,438 patients in leprosaria nationwide have also been registered.
The Director of Operations at  the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Mr Anthony Gingong, announced this at the Pantang Psychiatric Hospital on Tuesday when 401 inmates were presented with their identification cards.
He indicated that over 53,000 beneficiaries of the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme had already been registered onto the scheme. 
He said according to the NHIA 2011 annual report, 60 per cent of the entire subscriber base of the NHIS  was made up of the exempt category — under 18-year-olds, indigents, above 70-year-olds, among others.
Mr Gingong noted that one of the reasons the NHIS was set up was to address inequity when it came to financial access to health care in the country, noting that although the NHIS was a social arrangement to reduce poverty, it was realised that a key section of the public, including mental patients, was not adequately covered under the scheme.
He expressed confidence that with the enrolment of that category of the public onto the NHIS and the coming into force of the new NHIA Law, Act 852, people with mental challenges would also have their healthcare needs addressed.
Mr Gingong called for a change in attitude towards mental health patients, adding that mentally challenged patients suffered so much stigmatisation at the hands of the public, sometimes leading to their needs being overlooked.
He revealed that although the cost of the core treatment of mental illness was borne by the government, patients were left on their own when they contracted other common ailments such as malaria and cholera.
According to him, Act 852 had room for mental health.
Contrary to the normal practice whereby newly registered NHIS subscribers waited for about three months before accessing health care under the scheme, Mr Gingong said, the “inmates can start benefiting from the card right away. There is no waiting period for this”.
He revealed that 2013 would be a busy year for the NHIA, as the authority would undertake major programmes such as the instant issuance of biometric ID cards, nation-wide roll-out of capitation and the commencement of electronic claims processing.
A psychiatric specialist at the Pantang Hospital, Dr Frank Baning, praised the NHIA for the move and called for more collaboration between the two institutions.
He bemoaned the high level of stigmatisation suffered by mental patients and expressed worry about some sorry scenes at so-called healing and prayer camps where many mentally ill patients were sent.
According to him, some of the patients returned from those camps worse than they were and said although the camps were not the right places for many of the patients, doctors were compelled to work with them because of financial problems suffered by mental health practitioners and hospitals. 
Dr Baning said a change of attitude towards persons with mental ailments would go a long way to defuse the high level of stigma attached to the condition.
In his view, “mental health should not be looked at in isolation” and called on health policy makers to ensure “more integration in the management of health”.

Anas Aremeyaw Anas Imposter nabbed

A 27-year-old man, Joseph Osei, who allegedly blackmailed some companies by using the name of the company of the ace investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, Tiger Eye Productions, has been arrested by the police.
The suspect is alleged to have extorted GH¢12,200 from two companies in Accra and Tema under the pretext of using the money to halt secret investigations which would be carried out by he and Anas into the activities of those companies.
 According to the Crime Officer of the Adabraka Police Command, DSP Mr Ebenezer Nketiah, Osei extorted GH¢2,000 from his first victim and GH¢10,200  from his second victim.
He said it was believed that the suspect had defrauded several people under the guise of working with Mr Anas to expose their activities.
Mr Nketiah said although the suspect, who claimed to be a freelance journalist, had been moving from one part of the country to another to extort money from companies after blackmailing them into believing that he, with Anas’s assistance, was conducting investigations into their activities.
He said the suspect had forged the letterheads and logos of Tiger Eye Productions which he (suspect) used to facilitate his fraudulent deals.
He said some time last year, the suspect approached one of the companies with the information that Mr Anas had put the spotlight on that company and that its activities would soon be exposed.
Mr Nketiah said Osei then requested for some money to induce Mr Anas to stop further investigations into the company.
He said the suspect, when he was invited by the company under investigation, produced the fake letterheads from Tiger Eye to substantiate his claim.
He explained that it was under such circumstances that the suspect was given GH¢10,200 to be given to Anas to stop the investigations.
According to Mr Nketiah, just after receiving the GH¢10,200 from the Tema-based company, the suspect sent a threatening text message to its chief executive officer  (CEO) demanding more money or be painted as a supporter of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) who was working to undermine the NDC government.
At that stage, he said, the CEO, whose name was being withheld for security reasons, realised that the suspect was out to defraud him and, therefore, reported the matter to the police.
He said the suspect was arrested when he went to the CEO’s office to collect the additional money he had demanded.