Regional News of Sunday, 2 December 2007

Source: GNA

Patronize NHIS Durbars- Ghanaians Urged

Senya-Beraku (C/R), Dec. 2, GNA- The Chairperson of the Awutu-Effutu-Senya District Mutual Health Insurance Scheme (AESDMHIS), Mrs. Georgina Asamoah, has advised Ghanaians, especially those in rural communities to patronize sensitization durbars organized by District and Municipal Mutual Health Insurance Schemes of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

According to Mrs. Georgina Asamoah, that was the best platform they could use to ask questions about aspects of the new National Health Delivery Policy and also make meaningful contributions to its growth. Mrs. Asamoah was educating a cross-section of the people of Senya-Beraku, including school children at a durbar organized by the management of the Awutu-Effutu-Senya District Mutual Health Insurance Scheme at Senya-Beraku.

She spoke about the advantages of the new National Health Policy and advised people living and outside Senya-Beraku township to embrace the Scheme.

Mrs. Asamoah charged all religious leaders in the Senya-Beraku Traditional Area to use part of their service time to offer continued education on the importance of the Scheme to their members who are yet to register with the policy.

The Chairperson stressed the need for Traditional Councils and all farmers, fishermen and other socio-economic groups in the area to embrace the Scheme.

Mrs. Asamoah pointed out that the issue concerns their individual health needs and that of their families, so they must strive to register with the scheme.

Mr. K. Koomson, another member of the Scheme's Board of Directors, also counselled Senya citizens, especially the vulnerable among them to see the Health Insurance Scheme as their saviour and embrace it firmly for their own good.

Earlier, Mr. Joseph Yaw Owusu-Kwarteng, Public Relations Officer of the Scheme had debunked the notion held by some people in the district that the ID Card of the Scheme could only be valid and utilized within the district.

Mr. Owusu-Kwarteng cited the example of hundreds of students of the University of Education Winneba, who had been using ID Cards of the Scheme to source healthcare outside the Awutu-Effutu-Senya District during vacation periods, and assured people wishing to register to disabuse their minds of such negative comments and register. He said management of the Scheme were prepared to offer clients the best service expected to ensure total success.

Mr. Owusu-Kwarteng repeated advice to ID bearers whose valid dates had expired not to wait until they fall sick before doing so because delays might prove dangerous.