Sekondi, Jan 25, GNA - The Sekondi Sub-Metropolitan Mutual Health Insurance Scheme, which took off in November last year, has started paying claims, Mr Emmanuel Reinfred Okyere, the Scheme Manager, has said.

Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency at Sekondi on Tuesday he said, "The scheme has paid the claims of some health facilities and pharmacies".

Mr Okyere urged health facilities and pharmacies taking part in the scheme to submit their claims on time for payment.

He said the scheme has not been able to print sufficient identity cards for subscribers due to logistic problems and is collaborating with the National Health Insurance Council to print all outstanding identity cards.

Mr Okyere appealed to those who have not received their identity cards to exercise patience, saying all registered clients would have their cards within the next few months.

He said clients who fully paid their premium last year but were not issued with identity cards would not pay anything this year. This is because they would start benefiting from the scheme from the month their identity cards are printed, Mr Okyere said.