Gomoa Ankamu (C/R), May 6, GNA - Pregnant women who subscribed to the Gomoaman Mutual Health Insurance Scheme can use their cards to access health care immediately after registration.

This follows the waiving of the three-month maturity period provided under the scheme as part of the district's efforts to significantly reduce maternal mortality, the authorities have said. Speaking at a fund-raising forum organised by the chiefs and people at Gomoah Ankamu, near Apam, Mr MarkNii Lamptey, District Scheme Manager, said pregnant women constituted the priority focus of the scheme.

He said the Danish International Development Agency was supporting about 50 percent of the population with a special grant to enable them register with the scheme, following a study showing that poverty levels were very high in the area.

Currently, 50,200 persons out of the population of more than 200,000 registered with the scheme as at April 2008, he said, adding that out of this, only 43,000 had fully paid up their premium and had been issued with cards. Nii Lamptey said mismatch of pictures, registering in more than one name and giving wrong date of birth were major errors identified during client data processing. The Scheme has so far collected GH¢80,101.00 as premium payments.

Mr Ike Quansah, Accountant to the Scheme, said recently, GH¢1,300.00 was paid in medical bills to a client who underwent plastic surgery.