Anyanui, Aug. 26, GNA - The Volta Region is lagging behind in the coverage of the National Health Insurance Scheme, Dr Benjamin Kumbuor, Deputy Minister of Health said on Tuesday.

He said; "A national comparative analysis on the proportion of population covered by the scheme revealed that the region was behind". Dr Kumbuor was commissioning a Health Centre for the Anyanui Community in the Keta Municipal Area.

He appealed to all Ghanaians, particularly people in the Volta Region, to patronize the scheme for easier access to healthcare. Dr Kumbuor said access to healthcare delivery remained an important policy objective of government and was therefore working hard to resolve all challenges the NHIS was facing. He said the Anyanui Centre had brought health care closer to the people and asked them to patronize and maintain it. Dr Kumbuor expressed gratitude to the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) for partnering the government to establish the Centre, which comprises the clinic, nurse's quarters and a hostel. He urged the people to embrace the Community Health Planning and Service (CHPS) zones policy intended to bring planning and management of healthcare closer to the community. Colonel Cyril Necku (Rtd), Deputy Volta Regional Minister, advised the people to observe a high sense of environmental and personal hygiene, saying; "health facilities are not there for people to get sick at random".

Dr Elias Sory, Director General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), called for cooperation and mutual respect between the people and staff of the facility to gain the maximum benefit. Mr Sylvester Tornyeava, Keta Municipal Chief Executive said the assembly had institutionalized periodic cleanup programmes in the area to emphasize the importance of keeping the environment clean. Mr Kofi Humado, Member of Parliament for Anlo called for measures to protect the coastline west of Anloga, as it was being washed away by the sea and destroying service lines of utilities in towns including Anyanui. 26 Aug. 09