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06.01.2005 Health

Tema Health Insurance Scheme registers over 20,000

06.01.2005 LISTEN
By GNA

Tema, Jan. 06, GNA - The Tema Municipal Health Insurance Scheme has registered more than 20,000 people since registration began in March, last year in the Tema municipality.

The Scheme Manager, Mrs Alice Obeng told the GNA that even though registration started late the figure was encouraging and expressed the hope that more people would register before the year ends.

She said initially, many people were reluctant to come to join the Scheme because they were not sure of the outcome of the December 7, election and therefore doubted whether the Scheme would be implemented. Some also thought the Scheme was the brainchild of one political party and therefore had fears that a new government would discontinue the programme.

She said so far the municipality had four offices and four officials doing the registration while plans were far advance to train more officials to move to institutions to do the registration. Mrs Obeng mentioned the Health Insurance advert on television as the major problem they were facing in the payment of premiums especially in the informal sector.

She explained that because the advert mentioned 72,000 cedis as the minimum premium it becomes difficult when they were asked to pay more than that and added that payment of premiums depended on a person's income.

She, however, appealed to the National Health Insurance Council to consider reviewing the advert to ensure a better understanding on the premium collection and commended the Municipal Assembly for its support so far but called for more logistics and vehicles to enhance the registration exercise in the municipality.

Mrs Obeng advise citizens in the area to consider making wise decisions to embrace the Scheme since that was the only way they could guarantee that they had quality health care.

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