Cape Coast, April 8, GNA - Managers of the National Health Insurance Scheme in the Central Region have pledged their loyalty and support to the government in the discharge of their dutuies. They said it was incorrect to say that since they were employed by the former administration of New Patriotic Party their loyalty to the new government would be in doubt.

The managers gave the assurance when they called on Mrs Ama Benyiwa Doe, the Central Regional Minister, to congratulate her on her appointment and to discuss with her challenges facing the scheme. Their spokesman, Mr Mark Nii Lamptey, Manager of Gomoaman Mutual Health Insurance Scheme, said as public servants they were obliged to render dedicated and loyal service to the government of the day. "We are determined to work harder than before in promoting an affordable health care for Ghanaians", he said and added that they would not allow partisan politics to detract them.

Mr Lamptey said the change from the old ID card to a new one, which would make it possible for the bearers to access health care in any part of the country, was creating some problems for their clients but assured that with passage of time the problem would be solved. On their indebtedness to service providers, Mr Lamptey said the National Health Insurance Authority had released funds to bail out the schemes which could not pay their claims. He appealed to the service providers to be patient whilst things are sorted out.

Mrs Benyiwa Doe advised the managers to discharge their duties in such a manner as to win the confidence of their clients. "Make your clients to be sure that they are in safe hands to enable them to sell the good news to those who have not seen the need to joint it", she said. Mrs Benyiwa Doe said the region was rated among the poorest so they must devise a means of collecting the premium from the people so that they did not compound a precarious situation.