NHIA Urges Fire Officers to Use Free Primary Healthcare and NHIS Benefits
The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has urged personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) in Winneba to take advantage of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and the Free Primary Healthcare (FPHC) policy to protect their health and access essential medical services.
The call was made by the Awutu Effutu Senya (AES) District Manager of the NHIA, Christopher Oddoye, during an engagement with fire officers in the Effutu Municipality as part of this year’s Customer Service Week celebrations.
Mr Oddoye explained that the FPHC policy was designed to make preventive and health education services accessible to residents at the primary level of care, including Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compounds, health centres and public health units of polyclinics.
He encouraged the officers to undergo regular health checks under the policy to monitor their health status, noting that the nature of their work exposed them to various occupational hazards.
He added that the NHIS benefit package also covered emergency interventions in cases of severe burns and sudden accidents, making the Scheme an important source of support for personnel whose duties often placed them at risk.
Addressing concerns about illegal charges at some health facilities, Mr Oddoye reaffirmed the NHIA’s commitment, under its Chief Executive, Dr Victor Asare Bampoe, to restoring public confidence in the Scheme.
He said tariffs paid to healthcare providers had been increased by 50 per cent to discourage facilities from charging members for services already covered by the NHIS.
To further tackle illegal payments, the Authority has introduced the One-Time Attendance Code (OTAC), a digital verification system that allows members to confirm their eligibility for care at the point of service. Members can generate the code by dialling \*929#.
The Municipal Fire Commander, D.O. II Frederick Adu-Poku, commended the NHIA for the engagement, describing it as timely and informative.
He assured the Authority that the command would encourage personnel and their families to enrol in the Scheme and maintain active membership to ensure access to healthcare when needed.
The engagement also provided an opportunity for the officers to ask questions, renew their NHIS membership and raise concerns about access to healthcare services.
The initiative forms part of the AES District Office’s efforts to deepen public understanding of the Scheme, improve customer relations and increase enrolment in the NHIS.
Grace Acheampong, ISD
