Regional News of Tuesday, 13 January 2004

Source: GNA

Communities participate in NHIS workshop

Amasaman (G/A), Jan. 13, GNA - More than 120 participants drawn from 100 communities in the Ga District at the weekend ended a five-day workshop on mutual Health Insurance Scheme at Amasaman.

The communities include Kotoku, Kokrobite, Bortianor, Engleshie Amanfro, Nsuobiri, Ashalajah, Danfah, Obom, Domeabra and Abokobi. Mr Sylvanus Tettey Martey, Acting Technical Co-ordinator for Ga District of the National Health Insurance Scheme told the Ghana News Agency in an interview after the workshop that participants were taught how to organise house-to-house educational campaign in their various communities.

Nana Kwasi Amo, Consultant of the scheme said government's decision to implement the scheme is to replace the "cash-and-carry" with a more sustainable health financing and humane system. Nana Amo expressed concern about the current cash and carry system, which he said, makes it compulsory for everybody to pay money immediately before and after treatment in the hospitals and clinics, adding that it is unaffordable and causing the death of many people.