Jirapa, Sept. 29, GNA - Mr Ambrose Dery, Upper West Regional Minister, on Thursday refuted rumours making rounds in the Region that the government had instituted the National Health Insurance Scheme to generate funds towards the New Patriotic Party's 2008 elections campaign.

"Diseases do not know political parties, neither do they recognize NPP, NDC, CPP and PNC members in their various homes. If there is any epidemic here there is no party colours that will save you. I will therefore urge you not to be deceived by such people." He said such rumours were not only irresponsible, but also a ploy to derail the good policies adopted by the government to make all citizens comfortable.

Mr Dery who stated this at Jirapa during the launch of the Jirapa/Lambussie District Mutual Health Insurance, urged the people to eschew negative tendencies that would undermine the smooth progress of the NHIS and urged the field workers of the scheme to step up their educational programmes.

He stated that the scheme was not a goldmine to enrich individuals and so workers who abused their offices would not only be fired, but would also be made to face the full rigours of the law.

The Regional Minister appealed to men to be more responsible by providing their children all the necessary support to reach great heights in education and also provide them with balanced diets that would strengthen them against nutrition-related diseases.

Mr Bede B K Baguoh, Board chairman of the Jirapa/Lambussie scheme said the lack of transport, computers and information systems officers were the major impediments confronting the smooth take off of the programme in the District and called on the stakeholders to help solve those problems.

He said a total of 4,551 persons had been duly registered for the scheme in the District out of the target of 7,000 and appealed to all those sitting on the fence to join the scheme, which was better than the cash and carry system.

Mr Baguoh said the scheme had also realized a total of C82.6million cedis from the registered members and urged others to pay their premiums to qualify them for the facility.

Mr Justin Dakorah, the District Chief Executive pledged to work hard to implement and sustain the scheme.

For sometime now the National Health Insurance Scheme in the Region took political dimensions as some people were allegedly peddling rumours that the Scheme was geared towards generating funds for the NPP government to use for their 2008 general election campaigns, prompting the Minister's reaction.

At the launch of the Sissala East and Sissala West schemes similar sentiments were expressed giving more credence to the allegations.