Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) pensioners in Wenchi are to enjoy free health care at the local Methodist Hospital.

This follows the official launch of the National Pensioners Association’s (NPA) medical scheme in the area.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) to this effect had been jointly signed by the Association, the Hospital and the Liberty Mutual Health (LMH), a private health insurance management scheme.

Mr. Edward Ameyibor, General Secretary of the NPA, Mr. Kwesi Botwe, Chief Executive Officer of the Hospital, and Mr. Franklyn Gonyoe, General Manager of LMH, initialed the agreement for their respective organizations.

The Wenchi hospital is the second medical facility to strike a deal with the association to provide free health care to its members under the scheme.

Mr. Seth Sesi, President of NPA, said the advantage was that registered members would receive treatment for diseases not covered by the government’s national health insurance scheme (NHIS).

He stated that retirement from active service alone did not automatically qualify any SSNIT pensioner to become a member of the association, or eligible to access LMH facility.

They would have toregister with it and mustfill an LMH form to become the scheme’s paid-up member.

Mr. Ameyibor said acquisition of NHIS card alongsidethose of the NPA and LMH, were necessary for the SSNIT pensioner to qualify for free health care services not covered by NHIS.

Mr. Gonyoe said about 1,000 pensioners had registered with the scheme in the Wenchi Municipality.