Cape Coast, April 12, GNA - Mr Osei Reindorf, Manager of the 'Oguaa Mansin' Health Insurance Scheme on Wednesday announced the intention of the management to set up 'pay points' in all the 42 electoral areas in the municipality to facilitate the payment of premiums for the Scheme. He said so far, 42,000 persons, comprising 8,150 from the formal sector and 4,166 from the informal sector have been registered and premiums amounting to 543,271,000 cedis realised, while the National Health Insurance Council (NHIC) had provided 961,183,333 cedis to service the exempt groups.

Mr Reindorf announced this at the launch and inauguration of an 11-member board of directors for the Scheme at Cape Coast, on the theme: "We join together for health care". He appealed to assembly members to provide at least one pay point in their electoral areas, which he said, had been estimated to cost 1.5 million cedis each.

The Scheme Manager also appealed to the Cape Coast Municipal Assembly to provide the Scheme with a bigger office space for its smooth operations.

Dr Aaron Offei, Central Regional Director of Health Services told the people that the Scheme belonged to them and that they had the responsibility of ensuring its successful implementation and sustainability.

He described it as "a generous offer", which he said was offering quality and affordable health care service and commended those districts that had been able to implement it.

In an address read for him, the Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Council Mr Ras Boateng, reiterated that one major challenge facing the implementation of the Scheme was the use of multiple software, which he said had resulted in the issuing of different identity cards for beneficiaries.

He expressed concern that the situation was creating confusion and said the Council had taken steps to address it to ensure that all beneficiaries would have identity cards to enable them to access health care in any part of the country.

Mr Boateng said with the exception of four schemes in the three northern regions, all other schemes in the country had successfully passed through the necessary implementation processes and were at the claims management stage.

Nana Ato Arthur, Deputy Central Regional Minister, whose address was also read for him, said one of a nation's greatest assets was its human resource and said the government was determined to provide quality health care for all Ghanaians.

Osabarima Kwesi Atta II, Omanhene of Oguaa traditional area, who presided, said two pharmacies, which have been registered to cater for the dispensation of drugs in the municipality under the Scheme was inadequate and called for an increase.

Student nurses and basic school pupils had earlier held a procession through some streets in the municipality holding placards, some of which read: "We welcome everyone, your health is our concern," "NHIS is key to Ghana's development," and "Join the NHIS now to avoid huge hospital bills".