Some women are abusing free delivery policy

Mrs Joyce Jetuah, in charge of the Geofrey Memorial Maternity Home and Clinic at Gomoa Ankamu near Apam, has suggested to the National Health Insurance Council to attach midwives to the district offices of the Scheme.

She said that some women who claimed to be pregnant reported at the offices of the Scheme to be registered to enable them to enjoy the government's free delivery policy.

She made the suggestion at the celebration of the National Health Insurance Week at Apam in the Gomoa West District on Tuesday.

Mrs. Jetuah said after membership cards were issued to the women who were not pregnant, they presented them at health facilities and were treated free of charge as pregnant women.

She said she had turned out a number of clients who reported at her clinic as pregnant women for treatment when they tested negative to pregnancy after examination.

Mrs. Jetuah said some beneficiaries of the National Health Insurance Scheme presented their cards at health facilities and collected drugs for their friends and relatives who had not registered with the scheme, resulting in lost of heavy sums of money in the form of claims to the Scheme.

Mr Mark Nii Lamptey, Manager of Gomoaman Health Insurance Scheme, said 125,000 out of the population of 200,000 had registered with the scheme but only 58,757 of them had been issued with cards to enable them to access free health care.

He explained that those who had not been issued with cards had not finished paying their premiums.

Mr. Lamptey said the Scheme had collected GHC 109,786.15 as premium since its inception about four years ago it had paid GHC 1,014,953.41 as claims to service providers for the treatment given to the clients.

He said 11,974 pregnant women had registered with the Scheme since the introduction of the free delivery policy.

Mr. Francis Yawson, Administrator of Apam Catholic Hospital, said the Scheme had reduced the cases of patients absconding from the health facility without setting their bills.

He advised patients to carry their cards along anytime they were reporting at health facilities.

Nana Mireku Annto, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Gomoaman Health Insurance Scheme, appealed to government to provide Gomoa with a district hospital.

He advised beneficiaries to keep their cards at the reach of their spouses and children for easy retrieval in case of emergency cases.

Nana Edu Efirim X, Chief of Apam, appealed to the citizens of Gomoa outside to support their relatives to pay their premium to enable them to benefit from free medical care. He paid premium for eight students from Dawurampong Senior High Technical School and three others from Apam Senior High School at the function, so that they could access free medical care.