District health insurance scheme collects 170 million cedis premium

Kuntanase (Ash), Feb 8, GNA - The Bosomtwe-Atwima-Kwanwoma District Health Insurance Scheme has so far collected 170 million cedis premium after registering 13,000 people under the scheme. Mr Felix Osei-Bonsu, District manager of the Scheme, who disclosed this, said out of the number registered, only 3,000 had fully paid up their premium.

He made the disclosure at the annual health review meeting of the Bosomtwe-Atwima-Kwanwoma District Health Services Directorate review meeting at Kuntanase.

It was to help assess performance of the directorate, evaluate targets and set new proposals for accomplishment this year. Mr Osei-Bonsu said the scheme was currently at a stage whereby photographs of those who had registered were being taken with the view to issuing them with identity cards before take-off of the scheme in April this year.

He, however, expressed disappointment at the lukewarm attitude of people towards the scheme and assigned the reason to the fact that most of them had not yet come to grips with the benefits of the scheme. Mr Osei-Bonsu therefore, called on all stakeholders in the district, including chiefs, religious leaders, unit committees and assembly members to join in the crusade in educating people and encouraging them to be part of the scheme.

Dr. (Mrs) Agatha Akua Bonney, the District Director of Health Services, noted that malaria cases recorded in the district fell from 45.78 per cent in 2003 to 41.78 per cent in 2004.

She attributed the downward trend and steady reduction to capacity building for frontline health workers in management of malaria, training of all community-based health volunteers as well as the distribution of 800 treated bed nets to pregnant women and children under five.

Dr Bonney said as part of measures to help improve upon human resource development, the directorate had sponsored seven staff made up of five midwives, one technical officer and one management personnel to pursue higher courses in various health institutions.

"This apart, the district assembly is also sponsoring two students pursuing courses at the nursing training colleges", she added.