Salaga (NR), Dec. 26, GNA - Health service providers at the East Gon= ja District, are turning away patients with the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) cards, because the scheme managers have not paid for servic= es rendered since September, this year.

Mr. Kasim Abdulai, District NHIS Manager who disclosed this at Salag= a said the arrears would be paid in January 2010. He made this known when he appeared before the District Assembly, to brief members, on the operations of the scheme, during the third ordinary=

sitting of the assembly at Salaga. As part of efforts to improve local level participation in governanc= e, some heads of key institutions are summoned to brief the assemblies on th= eir activities.

Mr. Abdulai said some 400,000 people in the district had registered w= ith the scheme and more than 150,000 of them had received their National ID cards that would enable them to have access to healthcare delivery in any=

part of the country. Mr. Alhassan Mumuni, District Chief Executive expressed regret about the situation and pledged to dialogue with heads of health facilities in the area to reconsider their decision and treat clients of the NHIS.

"It is unfortunate that these things are happening. After this meeting= , I will dialogue with heads of health institutions to see how best the probl= em will be solved since money will surely come for them to be paid," he stressed. The assembly also deliberated on a number of issues including fee fixi= ng, extension of electricity to rural communities, finding means of providing=

the Salaga Cassava factory with raw materials for operations and approval= of an amount of GH¢15.00 as per diem for Assembly members and purchase of motorbikes for them.