THE Kwaebibirem District Mutual Health Insurance Scheme (KDMHIS) has this year registered a total of 133,269 registered members under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), representing 66.63 percent of the district population even though that national target is 60 percent.

From a humble beginning of 2, 867 members in 2004, the Scheme shot up to 41, 712 in 2005, 95, 976 in 2006 and 119, 977 in 2007, and it is poised of attaining 90 percent of the district population by the end of 2009.

Dr. Bernard Narh Nuetey, Board Chairman of the KDMHIS made this known at the Second Annual General meeting of the KDMHIS held in Kade on Tuesday in the Eastern Region on Tuesday, which coincided with the national health awareness week.

Other activities undertaken include clean-up exercise along the principal streets of Kade, route march and health check, where they offered free screening, dental care, breast cancer screening, blood pressure, among others. Four of the Premium Collectors were honoured for their invaluable contribution to the scheme. They were each given a Phoenix bicycle.

Dr. Nuetey, who is the Deputy Director of the Oil Palm Research Institute at Kusi in the Kwaebibirem District, said the feat was made possible through intensive public education and sensitization in collaboration with all stakeholders.

He hinted that after the government introduced the free medicare for pregnant women under the Natioanl Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), the district has so far registered 1, 744 pregnant women who are accessing healthcare with their ID cards, adding that children up to three months are also accessing healthcare with their parents ID cards under this policy.

“I am happy to note that the Scheme in collaboration with the NHIA has brought quality and affordable healthcare to the doorstep of all residents in the districts. The Scheme has made great strive in its enrolment drive”, he emphasised. The Board Chairman however, mentioned lack of permanent office accommodation and the abuse of service by some clients as the two main challenges confronting the scheme.

Yaw Yiadom-Boakye, Chief Executive of the District, said the issue of health insurance is now a household word in the district and the benefits of the Scheme are well known.

“Available data at my office indicate that as at June 2008, about 127,227 people in the district had registered with the scheme of which 123,839 people were enjoying its benefits. It is therefore an undisputable fact that the NHIS had come to relieve Ghanaians from hardship in seeking medical care”, he said.

Mr. Yiadom-Boakye however admitted that the NHIS has its challenges, and noted that the government was putting in place measures to address all the teething problems militating against the running of the scheme.

“I am reliably informed that plans are far advanced to nationalize the scheme. This means that a member of the scheme can access health care everywhere in Ghana”, he noted.

The Scheme Manager for the KDMHIS, John Awuku Ahevi attributed the successes chalked by the Scheme to good management team that has been put in place, as well as good collaboration with the stakeholders such as the District Assembly, Assemblymen, Community Committee of Health Insurance, Premium Collectors (Agents) and the Service Providers.

He appealed to those who had not yet been hooked unto the scheme to do because the NHIS has come to stay and that those who might not want to get on board would be cheating themselves because they pay taxes on whatever they buy.

Mr. Ahevi was optimistic that the 90 percent target for next year is realistic and achievable, saying that they are going to redouble their efforts to work on that direction.