Sefwi-Wiawso (W/R), Sept 25, GNA 96 The Sefwi-Wiaso district branch of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) has paid 350 million cedis as claims to health facilities from January to May, this year. So far 40,000 people have registered with the scheme and about 30,000 have received their identity cards, Miss Lydia Adjei, the Public Relations Officer of the scheme, told the Ghana News Agency at Sefwi-Wiawso at the weekend.

She mentioned Sefwi-Wiawso Government Hospital, Saint John Hospital at Sefwi-Asafo and Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi as some of the health facilities. Miss Adjei said the scheme has chosen KATH as a referral point due to the long distance from Sefwi-Wiawso to Effia-Nkwanta Hospital in Sekondi and that five chemical shops in the district had been selected to serve the clients. She mentioned lack of vehicle for outreach programmes and low commission paid to the scheme collectors as some of the problems facing the scheme.

Miss Adjei said the second phase of the registration exercise would end next month to enable a picture taking to take off.