Pay The Bills Of The Aged - Health Service Tells Government

The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has called on government to set up a fund purposely for the treatment of some ailments for the elderly not covered under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). According to the Service, a similar suggestion should be put before the government by the NGO; Help Age Ghana. The Director of the GHS disclosed this to Citi News when members of Help Age Ghana, (helps older people claim their rights, challenge discrimination and overcome poverty, so that they can lead dignified, secure, active and healthy lives. ), called on the Service to share in challenges facing them as elderly citizens. Amongst the many challenges they face, Help Age Ghana noted that treatments they (elderly citizens) received from some health officers and the drugs they required were not covered by NHIS. The Director of the GHS, Dr Ebenezer Appiah Dankyira assured the elderly citizens the government would address their concerns. �The conditions the elderly have are always expensive.. If it is a hip problem, we�ve now moved to a stage where it may need a replacement. If it is an eye problem, it may need surgery and those are very expensive,� he stated. Dr Dankyira further stated, �Even if it [treatment] is not under the NHIS, there should be a small fund put aside for that otherwise the NHIS can be expanded. The VAT, currently and two and half percent can go to three for health but this is a decision the government has to make and this is what we will present to them [government].�