Savelugu (N/R), Oct. 6, GNA - The Savelugu/Nanton District Mutual Health Insurance Scheme (DMHIS) has exceeded the national penetration target of 50 per cent, with the registering of a total of 71,317 people, representing 70 per cent of the district's population, as at August, this year.

The figure is made up of 25, 002 informal sector contributors, 1,333 SSNIT contributors, 29 SSNIT pensioners, 5,676 old people, 2,091 indigenes, 35,747 children and 1,439 pregnant women. Mr Abdullah Zakaria Sharijey, Savelugu/Nanton District Scheme Manager of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), disclosed this at an Annual General Meeting of the Scheme at Savelugu on Saturday. Mr Sharijey said the Scheme had issued a total of 64,221 identity cards to clients, adding that, it had also collected GH¢108,563.20 as internally generated funds for this year.

The Scheme, he said, had received GH¢671,114.83 from the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) as contribution for the payment of medical bills of exempt groups under the NHIS. Additionally, he said the scheme had received GH¢54,672.86 from the NHIA for administrative expenditure. The District Scheme Manager said the DMHIS had instituted sound financial management systems, including procurement and vetting committees to ensure proper management of funds from both the NHIA and the local level.

Mr Sharijey said last year, the Scheme received a Toyota pick-up vehicle, four computers, one motorcycle and two bicycles from the NHIA, while this year, it also took delivery of a standby generator to ensure an uninterrupted power supply to enhance its work. He said the scheme had reimbursed accredited health facilities and chemical shops to the tune of over GH¢419,506.63 for services rendered to 31,558 clients, adding that the highest claims paid to an individual contributor was GH¢936.69.

Alhaji Alhassan Abubakari Atori, District Chief Executive (DCE), urged the scheme managers not to rest on their oars but to strive to get more people registered into the NHIS to access affordable medical care. He reminded them that they were custodians of public funds and they should therefore guard against temptations, which had the tendency to collapse the scheme.