NHIS Registers 52 Per Cent Citizens In The North

Since its inception some three years ago, the East Mamprusi mutual health insurance scheme has registered 74,048 citizens in its membership drive and this figure represents 52 per cent of the district’s total population.

This was announced by the manager of the scheme Mr. Elijah Sulemana Abudulai in a speech he delivered at the second annual general meeting of the district mutual health insurance scheme held at Gambaga in the Northern region. It was themed – ‘National Health Insurance; Gateway to quality, accessible and affordable health care’.

Mr. Abudulai said from its humble beginnings in 2005 with a membership of only 17,426, the scheme worked hard in the registration of more members thus increasing the tally to 35,461 in 2006 and further up to 53,094 in 2007.

The scheme manager noted that ID cards were a prerequisite for scheme members to access health care after having paid their premiums. The scheme thus issued 10,152 ID cards to members in 2005 whilst a total of 22,005 ID cards were issued t o members in 2006. In 2007, the number of ID cards issued rose to 50,878. Mr. Abudulai further revealed that as at July 31 this year, as much as 67,210 ID cards were released to members who are currently judiciously using these ID cards to access health care throughout the East Mamprusi district and elsewhere in other districts.

The scheme manager however observed with grave concern that the rate of renewals by members was not as proportionate to the number registered as expected. He attributed this to the fact some members fail to renew their membership simply because they did not fall sick during the previous year and notes that if this practice continued, it would defeat the cardinal purpose of the NHIS.

Notwithstanding the above, the manager said an amount of GH c593, 678.84 has been disbursed over the years in the settlement of services provided to clients of the scheme. The chunk of the amount he noted went to the Baptist Medical Centre, the biggest service provider within the scheme’s catchments area. He said the providers have so far done a commendable job for the scheme and urged them to demonstrate at all times the ethics of the health profession in the discharge of their duties to clients.

It is worthy of note that in the face of limited resources, the NHIS in the East Mamprusi has been able to cover 133 communities within which it has established 40 community health committee that oversee the duties of 40 active collectors who mobilise clients for the scheme. The scheme manager thus asked for financial assistance so as to be able to adequately cater for these agents whose efforts contribute a lot to the achievements of the NHIS.

The board chairman of the scheme, Mr. Sylvanus Aga Alo in a welcome address, noted that the scheme faced a lot of problems during its conception and thanked government and other stakeholders like the national health insurance authority, NHIA for donating a Toyata pick-up vehicle and other logistics that aided the smooth take off and efficient operation of the scheme.

Mr. Alo said the scheme has been able to register massive numbers over the years due to the intensified educational campaigns it carried out in the communities.

The board chairman also commended the MP for Nalerigu-Gambaga Hajia Alima Mahama for voting part of her MP’s common fund for the registration of 2,565 people comprising the poor and the underprivileged. He asked other well-meaning citizens to emulate the example of the MP.

He said following a directive by government, the scheme has been registering pregnant women since 1^st July, 2008 and children under five years who access health care free of charge and hoped more women will take advantage of the policy.

The guest speaker for the occasion, Hajia Alima Mahama, who is the MP for Nalerigu-Gambaga and also minister for Women and Children’ Affairs said government is focused on the formulation of policies and programmes such as the NHIS to make quality health care accessible and affordable to all persons irrespective of socio-economic status and party affiliation.

Hajia Alima said the NHIS has come to stay and urged all and sundry to join it stressing that government will continue to support the functioning of the NHIS through provision of adequate logistics.

The MP observed that Ghana cannot fight poverty in all its forms if citizens are not healthy and strong. She said it was based on this fact that government scrapped the ‘cash and carry system’ which created limited access to health care and discriminated against the poor.

The minister also used the occasion to admonish parents against sending their wards to southern Ghana to work as porters saying this practice if allowed to continue, will spell the doom for the future generations of the country. She challenged parents to live up to their responsibilities by ensuring that children are put in school and adequately catered for.

A representative of the NHIA in the Northern region Mr. Issah Hudu in a message said the authority has developed a uniform tariff structure and medicine list which is currently being used nationwide. He said the authority will introduce a uniform ID card with which one can access health care anywhere in Ghana.

Mr. Hudu also announced that special funds will soon be released to the various schemes to defray the cost of free registration of pregnant women as per government directive.

Also Posted: 11/08/08 on www.ghana.gov.gh