By Eric Nana Yaw Kwafo
Children with National Health Insurance Cards who suffer from sickle cell disease or cancer will receive free medical care starting from July 2022, Modernghana News can report.
This has been confirmed by the Chief Executive Officer for the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Dr. Bernard Okoe-Boye.
The NHIA CEO disclosed this during a visit to Okyenhene Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin.
Dr. Okoe-Boye indicated that the government has adopted hydroxyurea Sickle cell treatment drug under the scheme for a rollout beginning next month together with the treatment of children with cancer.
According to him, the move is part of efforts by the government to provide relief to children and parents registered for the service.
“Through Nana Akuffo Addo, we are coming up with new initiatives, today we have extended the health insurance to cover certain things at first it will not cover. At first the insurance do not cover children who suffers from cancer but now from next month July children with cancer will be treated free once they have registered on the health insurance.
“The second one is about children with sickle cell, There is a special medicine called hydroxyzine urea that we have been able to get through the able leadership of Nana Akuffo Addo, and this medicine when giving to a sickle cell patient it take away the pains and give them the quality of lives they deserve to leave long without any suffering therefore from next month health insurance will take care of sickle cell patients,” Dr. Bernard Okoe-Boye shared.
Another new intervention is that, people 70 years and above who register or renew their NHIS card will get instant activation to enable them to receive instant medical care if needed.
Currently, the arrangement per the law is that persons 70 years and above do not pay any premium when registering for health insurance.
You only pay the processing fee of GHS5 if you stay in a rural area and GHS7 if you are a city dweller.
