Begoro, Feb. 19, GNA - An 11-member Fanteakwa District Implementation Committee (DIC) on the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) was inaugurated at Begoro on Tuesday, under the chairmanship of the District Chief Executive, Mr Ebenezer Ofoe Caesar.

The Committee was tasked to draw a comprehensive constitution and action plan for the implementation of the scheme in the district. Inaugurating it, the Deputy District Co-ordinating Director, Mr Maxwell Gyimah, urged the Committee to evolve reliable strategies for the successful take-off of the scheme in the various communities. Mr Gyimah also asked the committee to mount a vigorous education campaign to sensitize the public on the need to register and contribute to the scheme and receive prompt medical treatment when sick. He noted that the Health Insurance Scheme would go a long way to reduce the financial barriers to seeking health care by the people and urged all to register.

The Eastern Regional Co-ordinator of the NHIS, Mr George Kumi Kyeremeh, said everybody, irrespective of age, would pay a minimum premium of 36,000 cedis annually towards the scheme, adding that every body should be covered under the scheme within the next five years. Mr Kyeremeh said a Legislative Instrument would specify whether pensioners and the aged above 70 years would be exempted from contributing to the scheme.

He said the government would provide a seed money to pilot districts to implement the scheme.

The Fanteakwa District Director of Health Services, Ms Isabella Rhule, said the probation period for the take-off of the scheme varies from one district to another, depending on the type of constitution drawn for each district.

She assured the public that registered persons within the region would be provided with a special identity card to enable them to receive treatment in any hospital in the region. Feb. 19, 04