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09.11.2004 Health

Minister launches Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa Health Insurance Scheme

09.11.2004 LISTEN
By GNA

Breman Asikuma, (C/R), Nov. 9, GNA - The Minister of Health, Dr. Kwaku Afriyie has reiterated that the National Mutual Health Insurance Scheme was designed to assist individuals and groups of people to make meaningful contributions towards making Ghana a healthy and buoyant nation.

This is because the scheme will allow free treatment for all citizens, irrespective of their political, religious, ethnic and other affiliations at any given time to keep them in excellent health conditions for vigorous economic activities.

This was contained in a speech read for him at the formal launching of the Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa District branch of the National Mutual Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) at Breman Asikuma.

He explained that the NHIS is a financial arrangement initiated by the Government to assist groups of people who pool their resources together so that when a member of the group falls sick and could not pay his or her hospital bill, it would be catered for by the group without any problem.

Similarly, individuals who would be roped into the scheme would be given equal attention in time of any health problem.

He further explained that the two-and-a-half per cent SSNIT workers contributions towards the scheme was not meant to undermine the workers pension scheme. In spite of the deduction of the two-and-a-half per cent, workers' pension will not be affected, he added.

Dr. Afriyie said Government had provided adequate financial support to accelerate various district insurance schemes and hoped the people in the rural communities would embrace it to make it a success. He praised the Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa District for implementing the scheme and urged other district. to emulate it.

The District Co-ordinating Director for the area, Mr. A.A. Addison, who stood in for the District Chief Executive said the new health delivery policy was designed to brush away completely the cash and carry system and advised people in the district to register with the scheme.

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