Chief Advocates For Residents To Take Full Advantage Of Health Insurance

The Krontihene of the New Juaben Traditional Area, Baffour Nyantakyi Tutu- Boateng, has advised government to make a determined effort to ensure that every Ghanaian is enrolled unto the National Health Insurance Scheme(NHIS).

He said it is the right of every citizen to have access to good health care services and government has a responsibility to provide facilities to ensure that healthcare gets to the doorsteps of the people.

Baafour Tutu-Boateng said this when a team from the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) paid a courtesy called on the chiefs of the New Juaben Traditional Area at Koforidua.

The call formed part of activities to sensitize and create awareness on the introduction of the electronic renewal of the health insurance membership cards.

He said he was also happy with some government initiatives to minimize the use of cash to transact business.

This, he said, would reduce the human interface in dealing with customers and in turn reduce the perceived corruption in the system.

Krontihene Tutu-Boateng called on the authorities to learn from other countries that have taken the lead in the implementation of the NHIS through the online system so that the experience could be modified to suit the system in Ghana.

He advised the NHIA to put in place appropriate measures to prevent cyber fraud of the system.

Mr Ben Kusi, the Director in-Charge of Membership and Regional Operations, who led the delegation, said the electronic renewal system was piloted in the Asuogyaman and West Mamprusi Districts six months ago.

He said the Authority want to extend the exercise to other parts of the country so that by the close of the year it will be rolled out nationwide.

Mr Kusi said currently about 18 million people have been captured on the NHIS biometric register , however, out of the number only 10 million people are active card holders.