THE New Life Clinic and Diagnostic Laboratory located in Tamale, together with the Dartah Pharmacy Limited at Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region, has been graded as A+ (Excellent) by the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA).
According to the results of the first batch of the NHIS Accreditation Programme released this month, the top two health facilities were among 618 that were screened by the authority’s programme.
The objectives of the NHIA Accreditation Programme is to, among other things, promote the provision and delivery of quality, safe, efficient, effective and acceptable health care services for persons living in Ghana.
The exercise ensures that health facilities are in the position to provide healthcare services in accordance with the Benefit Packages of the National Health Insurance Scheme.
The Director of the New Life Clinic and Diagnostic Laboratory, Dr Isaiah Aklaku, told the Daily Graphic that he was highly elated by the accreditation.
He said the laboratory started operating in 2002 after he had conceived the idea in the 1980s.
“I specialised in laboratory investigation and people from Upper West and Upper East regions have been patronising my services,” he stated.
The laboratory renders such services as proctology, haematology, serology, biochemistry and urinalysis.
According to Dr Aklaku, a staff member of the laboratory, the laboratory had also been rendering services in antenatal cases in communities such as Tolon, Savelugu, Diare and Nanton.
He explained that the laboratory carried out services for the Tamale West and Savelugu hospitals.
“We also assist in doing medical examinations for institutions and students while we carry out clinical services too,” Dr Aklaku further stated.
The laboratory has a staff strength of 18, made up of laboratory technologists, laboratory assistants and others rendering support services.
“This laboratory would soon be equipped with hi-tech computerised diagnostic equipment in addition to the other high-profile equipment like chemistry analysers and the haematology analysers,” the director said.
According to him, the future was bright and the greatest challenge facing the laboratory was how best to maintain the high standards and improve upon them as the years went by because “many of our clients are looking up to us”.
Dr Aklaku, therefore, said as a way of boosting its services to residents of northern Ghana, the management had decided to acquire the latest equipment for tumour diagnosis for breast cancer patients.
Touching on issues affecting the implementation of the NHIS, Dr Aklaku observed that the only challenge facing the scheme was the delay in reimbursing healthcare service providers.
He, however, expressed optimism that with time the scheme would stabilise.
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