Bolgatanga, Nov 10, GNA - The Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) in collaboration with the Upper East Regional Co-coordinating Council on Wednesday donated 32 bicycles valued at about 23 million cedis in aid of the Bolgatanga Municipal Health Insurance Scheme.

The bicycles are meant to facilitate the work of revenue collectors and other field workers in and around the municipality. Making the presentation Mr Daniel Nankab, an official at the municipal assembly, stressed the need for more public education to persuade more people to register for the NHIS.

He expressed the hope that the bicycles would enable revenue collectors to visit the remote areas to sensitize the people on the scheme as well as maximize revenue mobilization.

The Scheme Manager, Mr Roger Aposs Ayine, said so far 17,392 contributors had been registered with a total collection of 164 million cedis.

Mr Ayine said more than 4,000 identity cards were ready for distribution to contributors and appealed to the National Health Insurance Council for immediate release of funds to the municipality to enable field workers begin the distribution of the ID cards. He cited mobility difficulties, high overhead costs, the delay in release of support funds and inadequate training for management personnel as some of the major hindrances confronting the scheme in the area and urged the municipal assembly, NGOs and private businesses to come to the scheme's aid.

Dr. Alexis Nang-beifubah, Municipal Director of Health Services, said the success of the Scheme depends on the commitment of field workers.

"At the moment, most of the people have adopted a wait-and-see attitude and it is the duty of the field workers to convince them to come forward and register," he said.