Sekondi records remarkable NHIS coverage

The Sekondi Sub-Metro Mutual Health Insurance Scheme had as at May this year registered 120,000 members, representing 74 percent of the ancient city's total population of 162,123.

This performance is an improvement on that of last year where 93,890 members were registered, also representing 58 percent of the total population.

The Scheme Manager, Charles Enti, who disclosed these at its 3rd Annual General Meeting held in Sekondi last week described these achievements as a success story. He said the scheme was able to come this far as a result of sustained educational and sensitisation activities carried out at places like the mosque, church, communities and markets.

The scheme manager noted that even though less than twenty-six percent coverage remained for the sub-metro to achieve its target of hundred percent for this year, a lot of hard work needed to be put in for the realisation of this goal.

He further disclosed that the sub-metro last year collected a premium of GH¢190,178.48 as against the GH¢74,302,000 bagged in 2006. These figures, he said, were an improvement over the GH¢53,656.00 collected in 2005.

These notwithstanding, there were a number of hindrances like delay in the payment of claims to healthcare providers, inadequate staff, inadequate training for staff, problems of portability as well as failure of renewal of expired cards by clients militating against the scheme"s smooth operation.

The board chairman, Nana Ekra Kojo IV, had earlier in an address entreated all stakeholders to be vigilant to prevent any possible fraud by some unscrupulous persons. He recalled that but for the vigilance of the staff, the Sekondi sub-metro MHIS would have fallen victim to such fraudulent deals.

Nana Ekra Kojo, who was not happy about numerous complaints of unprofessional staff behaviour towards clients, called on the staff to cultivate a better relationship between them, their clients and providers.

The Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Chief Executive, Philip Nkrumah and the out-going Regional Director of Health Service, Dr Sylvester Anemana, were among those who addressed the meeting.