Membership of Jasikan District Health Insurance Scheme increases

The Jasikan District Mutual Health Insurance Scheme paid a total of GHc29,893 as medical claims for some 10,816 subscribers between January and May this year, its manager said at the weekend.

Mr Douglas Sogbloame told the Ghana News agency at Hohoe that last year, the Scheme raised GHc37,910 through premium receipts to supplement a total subvention of GHc358,491 from the National Health Insurance Authority.

He said in 2006, premium receipts totalled GHc14,111 in addition to a subvention of GHc147,313. Paid claims amounted to GHc267,219 while 34,653 subscribers were recorded as having attended hospital or clinics during the period.

He said subscriber enrolment in the scheme increased sharply from 7,000 in 2006, to 51,095 in 2007.

Mr Sogbloame said in June this year, the Scheme expended a total of GHc60,000 on 186 subscribers who underwent various operations during a health outreach programme, adding that major ailments recorded during the period were goitre, fibroid, hernia, prostrate cancer and swellings.

A similar outreach held between July and December last year, covered 149 members and cost the scheme GHc36,000, he said.

Mr Sogbloame said cross-district boundary cases and difficulties in accessing some of the communities and islands, especially those on the Volta Lake, posed serious challenges to the implementation of the Scheme.