The Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH) has urged the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) administration to repay NHIS Service Providers in order for them to settle outstanding payments to suppliers. According to the Association, the Ministry of Finance and the Bank of Ghana should promptly collaborate with the Ghana Association of Banks to prioritize the pharmaceutical sector and provide FX solutions and preferential loans to ensure the supply of medications. Mr Samuel Kow Donkoh, President of the PSGH, issued a statement in Accra in response to the Ghana National Chamber of Pharmacy (GNCoP), Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Ghana (PMAG), and Pharmaceutical Importers and Wholesalers Association (PIWA) joint press conference on Thursday, October 19,2022. Due to the current economic crisis, the pharmaceutical group decided at the joint press conference to only supply drugs on a cash basis. It stated that PSGH's worry as a professional society of pharmacists was the negative impact the regrettable economic slump would have on patients' health, which was not the responsibility of our pharmaceutical sector's players.

According to the statement, the current situation has restricted company import and manufacturing capital, raising a major issue of drug security in the country. "There is a risk of medicine availability, medication access, price increases, potential compromise of medication quality, and an increase in fake and substandard medications," it warned. It stated that there was a risk of a decline in service offerings by NHIS Service providers, indicating the risk of shortages and thus unavailability of drugs, which would impede progress toward Universal Health Coverage.
According to the statement, the cost of stock replacement was a big issue for Community Pharmacists, who needed recapitalization to preserve their diminishing supplies. "Because hospitals rely on credit from suppliers, there will be a shortage of medicines." This will have an impact on emergency drugs, anaesthetics, and life-saving medications," it stated. The PSGH will host a meeting with all key parties to determine how help may be provided to PMAG, PIWA, and Community Pharmacies, according to the statement.




  NHIA will publish potential responses to the Pharmaceutical Industry's demands. 

The National Health Insurance Authority's (NHIA) management will shortly provide potential ways to manage the Pharmaceutical Industry's choice to offer all medicine supplies purely on a cash basis. At a press conference on Thursday, October 20, 2022, the industry stated that the move was necessary because macroeconomic indicators such as exchange rates and payment terms, inflation, interest rates, fuel prices, and utilities, among others, were having a negative impact on the smooth operation of the pharmaceutical business. 
Mr William Adum Addo, President of the Pharmaceutical Importers and Wholesalers Association, spoke at the briefing and encouraged the National Health Insurance Scheme and all private health insurance companies to provide accredited facilities with seed funds to buy medicines on cash for supplies in order to provide medicines to patients covered by the Scheme. However, Berima Sarpong, the NHIA's Communications Manager, told the Ghana News Agency that the Authority recognized the industry as an important stakeholder, appreciated the conditions in which they functioned, and was concerned about the difficulties they were facing.
"As a result, management has held a series of meetings and will present possible solutions to manage the situation," he stated.


NHIS will only be supplied with drugs in cash - Pharmaceutical Industry   

According to the Pharmaceutical Industry, all pharmaceuticals supplied to the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and Private Health Insurance Companies will be on a cash basis beginning immediately and continuing until the economy stabilizes. According to the Association, this is important due to macroeconomic indices such as the exchange rate and payment conditions. Inflation, mortgage rates, fuel prices, and utilities, among other factors, are wreaking havoc on Ghana's pharmaceutical industry. Mr. William Adum Addo, President of the Pharmaceutical Importers and Wholesalers Association, told Journalist in Accra on Thursday that pharmacies will henceforth have a "no credit" policy for all purchasers in the business.
He was addressing during a news conference hosted by the Pharmaceutical industry, which comprised representatives from the Ghana National Chamber of Pharmacy, the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Ghana, and the Pharmaceutical Importers and Wholesalers Association of Ghana. The purpose of the joint press conference was to highlight the impact of the current economic difficulties on pharmaceutical enterprises, as well as the actions being done to save the industry. The pharmaceutical industry has long been credit-driven; the public sector pays on average six to twelve months due to NHIS delays, but major private hospitals pay for supplies in three to four months.
"In the current circumstances of daily cedi depreciation, it is imperative to state that pharmaceutical supplies on credit under these terms have resulted in the erosion of operational capital of pharmaceutical importers and manufacturers," Mr. Addo added. He urged the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), as well as all other stakeholders and buyers, to accept the new policy in order to save the industry from impending collapse. The Association urged the National Health Insurance Scheme (HNIS) and all private health insurance firms to provide authorized institutions with seed funds to purchase medicines on cash for supplies in order to deliver medicines to scheme patients.

It also encouraged the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) to include medications in the basket of products used for CPI calculations, stating that "such an adjusted CPI will display a better inflation rate for planning and strategy for the pharmaceutical sector." "The MOH, GHS, and NHIS should meet with the leadership of the above Associations as soon as possible to discuss possible financial reengineering to save the situation," Mr Addo stated. Mr Harrison Abutiate of the Ghana National Chamber of Pharmacy stated that the business had been severely impacted by the recent economic downturn, necessitating urgent steps to sustain the industry.
He claimed that as a result of the COVID-19, many drugs expired since many individuals failed to seek medical assistance, a circumstance that had harmed industry participants in light of the country's current economic difficulties. Mr Abutiate stated that in order to survive, the industry's payment conditions and business models have to change as a first step in reversing the industry's financial decline. "We have identified the areas that require immediate attention so that our business does not collapse and wreak further havoc on an already dire situation." Madam Lucia Addae Ntiri, Executive Secretary of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Ghana, agreed that structural improvements were necessary for the industry to remain viable.
Many industry players, she claims, will fail if prompt action is not taken. "The cedi's depreciation against the dollar makes planning difficult; manufacturers and importers have been absorbing the cost; we cannot afford to operate at a loss any longer," she said. She pushed suppliers to pay in cash so that manufacturers and importers could buy the products and keep their businesses running. According to the industry, the situation was critical and required assistance to assure the continuation of the pharmaceutical sector, not just for the pharmaceuticals, but for everyone's survival.


NHIA provides immediate healthcare to people aged 70 and up.

To hasten the country's attainment of Universal Health Coverage (UHC), the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has implemented immediate healthcare for all people aged 70 and up. The one-month waiting period for all customers within the age range is eliminated with the introduction of instant care on September 26, 2022. "All the elderly, aged 70 and up, who register for the scheme can visit accredited NHIS hospitals and have all their health needs met." According to a statement published and copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), the action was implemented to prevent possible free-riders from abusing the scheme.
It stated that the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) has mandated one-month waiting periods for all categories of members, save pregnant women and children under the age of five, since its inception 19 years ago. The provision barred anyone aged 70 and up from receiving immediate healthcare after joining in the scheme. It was stated that during the necessary one-month waiting time for aged new members, including Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) Pensioners, they were saddled with out-of-pocket payments to obtain healthcare until the 30-day waiting period was exhausted.
"In light of the unique circumstances in which the elderly find themselves, particularly with regard to health issues," it continued, "persons aged 70 years and above who enroll in the scheme will receive immediate healthcare and will have access to the full benefits package from NHIS accredited health service providers."