Ejura (Ash), June 19, GNA - The Ejura-Sekyedumase District Mutual Health Insurance Scheme paid 109.3 million cedis covering the medical bills of 1,372 patients from January to April this year. Mr Justice Boakye, Scheme Manager, who disclosed this, said most of the clients were diagnosed as having malaria, hypertension and diabetes, while most of them who underwent surgical operations had hernia, fibroid and caesarean section deliveries.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency in an interview on the status of the Scheme at Ejura at the weekend, Mr Boakye stressed that it had so far collected a total of 185.6 million cedis as premium from its 2,773 paid up members.

He said the Scheme had a membership of 22,102, representing 27.2 per cent of a total population of 81,115 people based on the 2000 population census.

Mr Boakye hinted that paid up members of the Scheme made direct payment of premium ranging from a minimum of 72,000 cedis to a maximum of 480,000 cedis based on the principle of ability to pay.

"A total of 7,959 identity cards have been issued to members to enable them to access health care. The printing and issuance of the cards are on-going and that the rest of the cards will be issued to members in due course", he said.

He said the Scheme targeted to register at least 50 per cent of the District's population by the end of the year and called on all stakeholders to give the needed support and co-operation to achieve this objective.

Mr Boakye said transportation was a problem confronting the Scheme and that inadequate computers for data entry and printing of identity cards was also another problem. He pointed out that the Scheme's lower performance printer has delayed the printing and issuance of identity cards. 19 June 06