More register for NHIS

Kade (E/R), April 29, GNA- Thirty-five thousand people in the Kwaebibrim District have so far registered for the National Health Insurance Scheme, with the rest of the people in the District registering daily at encouraging rates.

This is because 2,867 of those who registered in the year 2003/2004 have started benefiting from the Scheme by receiving free medical care at the St. Dominic Hospital at Akwatia; Kade, Asuom and Pramkese Health Centres.

Disclosing this to the Ghana News Agency, Mr Acheampong Frimpong, the District Public Relations Officer of the Scheme said 49 towns and villages in the District have been visited and the people given the necessary education on the Scheme.

Mr. Frimpong however, appealed to the Government to provide vehicles and mobile vans for the workers of the Scheme to enable them to visit and monitor the agents of the Scheme, especially in rural and remote areas.

He said one of the major problems facing the agents is information on one's date of birth.

Many people fail to give their correct date of birth, which makes it difficult for the agents to believe whether one is below 18 or above 70 years.

Another problem is the use of different names at the time of registration and at the time of taking pictures. Mr Awuku Ahavi, the District Manager of the Scheme also appealed to the Government to come out with a standardised measure that would enable the medical centres to charge the same fees for treatment. Mr Ahavi said many people are complaining that the fees charged by the centres are high and differ greatly from one medical centre to another.

He appealed to the Government to come out with the salary structure and terms of working conditions for the workers on the scheme, to enable them to know how much they are paid monthly and what is in store for them for the future.

This, he said, would entice the workers to work harder for the scheme to replace the old Cash and Carry system.