Health Minister Kwaku Agyemang Manu has rejected calls for his resignation following his recent comments about the National Health Insurance Scheme.
Mr. Agyamang Manu at a meeting with Ashanti Regional Health Managers stated that the Scheme was not working and needed to be revived.
Following this, former President John Dramani Mahama called on the Minister to resign if he is unable to oversee the health sector.
While addressing a forum in Accra, Kwaku Agyemang Manu claimed that his comment has been misconstrued.
“An elderly respectable statesman like former President John Dramani goes on this lane into the gutter, in the gallery, doing propaganda that the health minister should resign. Does this call for any resignation? I came to work for the nation, and I have done what any health minister would have done. If you don’t appreciate my work, don’t destroy me unnecessarily.”
Mr. Mahama spoke to wild applause at a meeting with branch and constituency executives of his party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Sefwi Adobokrom, in the Bia East Constituency.
Responding to the Minister’s admission of failure, the former president said Mr. Agyemang Manu must resign.
“He has admitted that he has failed. He has not been able to grow the NHIS and he says it has failed… he has no business being the minister for health. He should resign”.
Providing more details, Mr. Mahama said holders of the NHIS card are being turned away from most health facilities because government is not paying their claims.
“Health facilities have not been paid since last year for services provided to card holders. How do you expect them to continue treating them”, he asked.
Many have questioned the Minister’s public complaints instead of taking responsibility to make the Scheme functional.
