Breman Asikuma (C/R), May 17, GNA - The Mutual Health insurance Scheme for the Asikuma Odoben Brakwa District will take off by June 1, 2005.

The Board Chairman, the Reverend Patrick O. Nyampong, who announced this at Breman Asikuma said the District had met the national requirement. He said according to the management report submitted by the Scheme Manager, who is also the Secretary to the Board, Mr Eric Owusu Appiah, the District had achieved 80 per cent of sensitisation, 60 per cent of registration and 95 per cent photo-taking. Premium collections had yielded 125.136 million cedis from 1,738 members from the informal sector with 1,200 SSNIT contributors also registered.

He disclosed that 500 children, 900 aged above 70 years and 350 pensioners had also been registered.

On photo taking for the issuing of identity cards (I.Ds), the Chairman said a total of 26.965 million cedis was realised, adding that, the I.D. cards were ready for distribution to the members. The Chairman said the District had registered with the Registrar General's Department as a limited liability company and issued with a certificate of incorporation to operate.

Rev. Nyampong said that the scheme was at an advanced stage of registering with the National Health Insurance Company (NHIC) for a memorandum of understanding to be signed with health-care providers before the commencement date.