Accra, May 29, GNA - The National Health Authority has welcomed the President John Agyekum Kufuor's decision to decouple children less than 18 years from their parent's registration with the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

A statement issued and signed by Mr Ras Boateng, Chief Executive Officer National Health Insurance Scheme said already the Authority has begun discussions with the Ghana Education Service to facilitate the use of school authorities in registering with the Scheme. The statement said even though children were supposed to be exempted under the Scheme, they only enjoyed this facility when both or one of the parents were registered.

Three years into the implementation of the Scheme about 5,985,152 children have been registered and that the directive would capture the remaining children who through no fault of theirs were not able to access health care under the NHIS. NHIS would depend on its officers in the various Districts to liaise with school authorities to register all children under 18. The statement said the National Health Insurance Authority wished to assure all Ghanaians and subscribers to the Scheme that the directive would not bring any pressure on its finances as children less than 18 years were already catered for under the law. 29 May 08