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Some Ghanaians say they are patronising the services of quack doctors and herbalists because they cannot afford the high fees charged by health institutions following the difficulties associated with accessing services under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). The withdrawal of services by the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) has compounded the problem, compelling people, particularly the poor, to engage in self-medication. To make matter worse, the Health Insurance Service Providers Association (HISPAG) has also threatened to withdraw services while pharmaceutical giants in the country who provide drugs to the NHIS on credit basis have also threatened to withdraw their services. According to the about 183-member-strong association, the decision was taken due to the National Health Insurance Authority�s (NHIA) consistent delay in the payment of claims to service providers, which has put member institutions into huge debt. The NHIA is reported to be indebted to mission hospitals in excess of GH₵50 million dating back to September 2013. The Finder�s checks at some mission hospitals across the country reveal some NHIS subscribers were forced to pay for services or go home as CHAG facilities attended to only emergencies and already lying-in patients. A cross-section of people who spoke to The Finder said without the NHIS, they cannot afford fees charged by hospitals and clinics, saying that the situation had become unbearable. They stated that the situation is worse if one is asked to go for laboratory tests. �You have to pay for card, consultation, and laboratory tests, and by the time you get the drugs, your money is exhausted,� one of them said. �Under the circumstances, we have no choice but to self-medicate or patronise quack doctors,� another added. Already, many people, especially the poor, rely on herbal medicine for cure to their ailments, due to financial constraints. Even at the peak of its implementation, people using the NHIS cards said they were discriminated against by hospitals and clinics. They alleged that health workers preferred the �cash-and-carry� system, as they got paid instantly for their services. The challenges facing the health sector has far-reaching implications for Ghana. The Health Accounting Staff Association of Ghana (HASAG) has said targets set for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 4 and 5 could not be attained if challenges impeding effective delivery of health care in the country were not addressed. It said although significant improvements had been recorded in the implementation of the two critical goals � that is, reduction in child mortality and improvement in maternal health � the �country is far from achieving the target by 2015.�