Eastern Region has 25 functioning Health Insurance Schemes and the figure is expected to increase to 40 by the end of the year.

Mr Ronald Oppong, an Administrative Officer of the Eastern Regional Secretariat of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) said this at a public lecture organised by the Koforidua branch of the Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG).

The theme was "Health Insurance, its development in the Eastern Region."

He said the type of diseases which any Health Insurance Scheme would cover for its members would be determined by the constitution of the scheme and that there was no scheme that covered all diseases.

Mr Oppong said most hospitals in the region were losing a lot of money through patients running away because people cannot afford the current bills.

''If such developments persist the hospitals in the country will not be able to provide and maintain the required facilities that will ensure the provision of quality health services.''

He said research conducted by his office indicated that last year Nsawam Government Hospital lost almost 20 million cedis through the inability of patients to settle their bills.