NHIS Supports kayayei’s

The Chief Executive Officer of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Mr. Nathaniel Otoo, has said that creating programmes to protect head porters popularly known as kayayeis in the big cities must be supported by all institutions in the country.

He said under his administration the NHIS would organise and support programmes geared towards the welfare of vulnerable and disadvantaged girls and women in communities.

Mr. Otoo said this when he supported 50 kayayeis by registering them with the health insurance at his office in Accra. This is aimed at lessening the burden of the head porters when they visit health centres for treatment.

He described the head porters as hard working girls who need the support of every Ghanaian in the field of training, health and outreach programmes on teenage pregnancy and protection against unscrupulous men who take advantage of their situation.

The Project Director of the Pamela Bridgewater Project, Mr. Yahaya Alhassan, said the project is supporting the head porters through education, protection, advocacy, and research.

He expressed the appreciation of the Pamela Bridgewater Project to Mr. Otoo for supporting what he called “the vulnerable segment of our populace”.

Mr. Alhassan praised the new administration at the NHIS for transforming the health insurance scheme and building confidence in the scheme.

He said that the project will set a special task force at kayayei densely populated environments to ensure that the girls are well protected.