The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) is set to pay two months of outstanding arrears owed service providers by the authority.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Authority, Dr. Samuel Annor, gave the assurance that the monies will hit the accounts of the service providers by close of work today.
He also indicated there would be regular settlement of the arrears until the outstanding debt is cleared.
The assurances come at a time when many of the service providers are threatening to revert to the dreaded cash and carry policy after years of indebtedness.
The Authority owes the service providers some GH¢1.2 billion covering a 12-month period of arrears.
In April, the Health Minister, Kweku Agyemang Manu, promised the 12-months arrears were going to be settled.
At a business meeting with donor partners, the Minister said government could pay one month arrears in May.
According to him, the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) was to pay its indebtedness by end of this month which can cover between three and four months arrears owed the service providers.
The Minister also pledged that government would settle additional four months by end of July while seeking funding from a source to pay off the rest of the arrears.
Dr. Annor has promised that the entire amount would be settled in a short span, even if in batches.
"We want to thank them for the patience and tolerance in the mist of all these debts which have put a lot of the service providers into serious trouble.
"A lot of them are under attack from their bankers....We want to assure them that we are making every effort to try and get monies to pay them.
"This payment, which is going out today which most subscribers will receive on Monday, will be the fourth payment since we assumed office," he said.
Dr Annor said the amount to be paid will be twice more than what was paid last month. He said in June, another payment will be made. "We're working along the clock to try and double up and reduce the debt stock," he promised.
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