Hohoe, July 4, GNA - The Hohoe Municipal Health Insurance Scheme, has paid medical bills amounting to 1.13 million Ghana Cedis on behalf of its members as at May this year, Mr John Peter Amewu, Hohoe Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) announced at the Assembly's General Meeting last Wednesday.

The Scheme also paid 1.18 million Ghana Cedis as subsidy on behalf of indigents in the Municipality. Mr Amewu said the Scheme mobilised 310,497 Ghana Cedis as premium from the informal sector, and issued identity cards to 60,454 out of 84,572 registered applicants.

He said an estimated 14,000 identity card holders have accessed healthcare at its accredited health facilities with an average attendance rate of 6,000 patients per month. Mr Amewu said strategies were being adopted to esnure 100 per cent coverage and appealed to those still outside the Scheme to take advantage of it and apply.

He said government was expanding and rehabilitating the Municipal Health Directorate, in addition to transforming Saint Teresa's and Saint Francis Training schools into colleges. On tourism, he said a blueprint on its potentials in the Municipalilty was being prepared to satisfy both local and international demands.

He said under the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP), 324 assistants have been engaged in agribusiness and community teaching, 60 in health extension, 10 in sanitation as guards and 40 in waste management in the Municipality. Mr Amewu said a total of 2,250 bags of fertilizers have been sold on credit to 62 farming groups, which would be paid for after the sale of their produce. He also noted that, about 5,000 acres of cocoa farms, oil palm plantation and maize farms were destroyed by bushfires at Likpe, Lolobi and Leklebi with over 200 people being displaced since January this year.

Mr Amewu said due to lack of funds, the Assembly was unable to extend assistance to about 1,000 people displaced in rainstorms at Likpe Todome and Bakua, Wli, Fodome, Liati and Leklebi. 4 July 08