F. Alpha And Omega Hospital Opens And Registers 10,000 

RESIDENTS living in  Madina, Haatso,Adenta, and the surrounding areas can now access healthcare and delivery services at the recently opened F. Alpha and Omega Specialist Hospital.

The hospital and the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) have started enrolling about 10,000 locals in the programme so they can receive free medical care at the hospital.

The Chief Executive Officer of the F. Alpha and Omega Specialist Hospital, Mr. Francis Fosu, stated during a brief ceremony last Friday, April 12, 2024 to commemorate the hospital's opening that he was motivated to assist the underprivileged in society in obtaining medical care after losing his own sister years ago as a result of his family's incapacity to pay for her surgery.

The hospital is situated  on  a three-acre tract of land in Madina Powerland, close to Ritz Junction, the four-story hospital provides specialty surgical treatments, pediatrics, obstetrics, gynecological, and prenatal services in addition to in-patient and general out-patient department (OPD) services. 

He disclosed that with the addition of this hospital, his organization now has six 

locations across the nation; the other three are in Kumasi and the other two are in the Oti Region.

"It is evident that the impoverished members of society face difficulties in obtaining

 higher quality healthcare treatments.They have no money to cover the costs.Our goal is to offer everyone access to high-quality healthcare," he said.

Mr Fosu added that, "We have chosen to come to Accra as well, specifically to a place where there is a Zongo community and other communities where we have more of these people, so that they can also enjoy high-quality healthcare services at a reduced cost or for free." 

"I am satisfied with my work when I am able to assist someone who is in need of medical attention but does not have the means to pay for it. 

For this reason, NHIS costs GH₵30 per individual, yet I'mregistering them for free to enable them access free medical care.

 In order to ensure that no one visits our community uninsured, my budget calls for the registration of 10,000 NHIS clients."We aim to simplify their access to the facility," he promised

For his part, the NHIA's Deputy Director for Claims, Mr. Owusu Ansah, the stated that his team was diligently seeking a new tariff to bring relief to both patients and service providers. 

He continued by saying that the NHIA was working on three projects: regenerative health, the establishment of wellness centers in medical facilities, and the tariff revision that was presently being discussed.

The NHIA is led by Dr. Da Costa Aboagye, the organization's new CEO.

The newly appointed CEO is interested in and focused on regenerative health. The development of wellness centers within buildings followed.

He wants to focus on preventive health. If preventive health is properly approached, we can identify diseases early and find treatments for them as soon as possible to avoid them becoming chronic, which would require additional funding from the NHIA, and this will lessen the burden on the NHIA," he said

The new tariff, which is being worked on right now to support the facilities by bringing new rates to the market. If it doesn't, hospitals will still be collecting money from patients when they visit them today.

Mr. Fosu called for a consensus between the government, pharmaceutical companies, and health service providers for a roadmap for the review of the NHIA tariffs, which he said was a great challenge for service providers. 

“Before the NHIA releases its price, the state, manufacturing and importers, and the pharmaceutical industry as a whole must convene and develop a pricing roadmap. In addition, these firms would announce new prices when the NHIA releases its rates, he claimed, adding that this will not benefit the country.

"The pharmaceutical companies will have a certain breakeven if they are given a certain streamline in terms of how they structure their prices and work with the NHIA to come out with a certain standard of pricing," he went on.

"Ghana would have been the healthiest country in the world because over 50% of its citizens have NHIA cards, but they still have to pay extra when they visit the hospital. Ghana will have excellent healthcare service once this additional funding is removed".

The allocation of funds for preventive care has received approval from the legislature.

Since the NHIA primarily addresses curative illnesses, legislative approval is required before we can start focusing on prevention. We will surely arrive there shortly because it was approved in the most recent budget, he added.