EVALUATION OF BIOMETRIC REGISTRATION OF NHIS SUBSCRIBERS: PROSPECTS AND CHALLENGES AT BANTAMA DISTRICT OFFICE OF NHIA

ABSTRACT 

In an increasingly fraudulent cases emanating from Ghanaian healthcare community, the initiation of an effective biometric system of registration can be a critical success factor. The study evaluates the biometric registration system at NHIA within the Ghanaian healthcare community. The study employed quantitative approach to evaluate the biometric registration system within the NHIA. The researcher adopted purposive sampling techniques in soliciting information for the study. SPSS statistical package and Microsoft Excel were employed in analyzing the data. The study established that, biometric registration process at NHIA is crippled with certain challenges that include frequent network failure, frequent shortage of consumables, high cost and long-queues created by clients.  Again, the prospects of the system included positive identification of individual, inability for ones information to be falsified, the uniqueness of the user’s template and also it fastness, reliability and effectiveness. The study finally recommend that prior to choosing an adequate biometric method, one needs to carefully research biometric performance measurements as they are important when we are balancing security and convenience. Biometric vulnerabilities must be defined so that they can be mitigated before clever attackers use them. Again security concerns need to be balanced with practica l cost and operational considerations as well as political and economic interests.