NHIS managers urged to involve chiefs in education

Kumasi, Oct. 18, GNA - A traditional ruler has appealed to district mutual health insurance managers to use traditional rulers and other opinion leaders as conduit for the dissemination of information on the scheme to the people in their areas of operation.

Nana Osei Kwame Agyeman Tiatuah, paramount chief of the Juansa traditional area in Ashanti, who made the appeal, said chiefs wielded a lot of influence over their subjects and their involvement in the dissemination of information on the health insurance scheme would encourage many people to accept and register to enable them benefit from the scheme.

Nana Agyeman Tiatuah made the appeal at the launch of an advocacy initiative by the Centre for the Development of People (CEDEP) in Kumasi on Tuesday, to empower the poor and vulnerable to participate in the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). He said the lack of proper and accurate information on the scheme, was hindering the smooth implementation of the scheme, especially in the rural areas.

Nana Agyeman Tiatuah further urged the scheme managers to involve the people in the implementation of various initiatives that would help in the successful implementation of the scheme. Mr Charles Sakyi, Deputy Executive Director of CEDEP said the objective of the programme was to facilitate the inclusion and participation of the poor and vulnerable in the NHIS. He said the success of the NHIS would to a large extent depended on the effective participation of the poor, vulnerable and marginalized, who were the primary targets of the scheme. Mr Joseph Owusu, Project Co-ordinator, said the first phase of the project would be implemented in 10 districts in the country. They are Ahafo-Ano North, Offinso, Asutifi South, Kintampo North, Wa, Lawra, Afram Plains, Birim North, Juaboso and Bia districts. Mr Owusu said Regional and District Health Insurance Vigilance Committees (RHIVCs) and (DHIVCs) would be established in the participating districts and provided with logistics and capacities to disseminate information on the scheme to the people in their communities.