Kumasi, July 18 GNA - Mr Issifu Lampo, Programmes Officer of the Institute for Policy Alternatives (IPA) has stated that it was important that all the primary stakeholders and managers of the National Insurance Scheme (NHIS) be well versed in the various packages of the scheme. He indicated that this would help them to educate people to fully understand and appreciate the scheme so that they would have the courage to join the scheme.

Mr Lampo was speaking at a roundtable in Kumasi to deliberate on a preliminary outcome of a scientific research conducted among core-poor cluster of people at Race Course and Bantama in Kumasi on the NHIS early this year by Neglect Foundation, a nongovernmental organisation (NGO). The meeting was attended by Health Directors, Hospital Administrators, NHIS Managers, Pharmacy and Chemical shop operators, Departmental Heads, NGOs, vulnerable groups and the Media.

Mr Lamp emphasised that the scheme was flexible and, "if it is explained well to the public, many people will join but this is not happening because many have not come to understand its operations properly due to lack of awareness=94.

Miss Sarah Afful, Director, Programmes of Neglect Foundation, briefing the meeting on the survey said the core-poor who were the target of the exercise welcomed the scheme and expressed their willingness to pay the premium.

"But because of a number of obstacles such as, lack of registration centres, financial constraints and other problems, they are unable to access the scheme", she said.

Miss Afful said five main issues were selected for synthesis and these involved awareness about the scheme; level of understanding; issues about registration for the scheme; willingness to register and the ability to pay the premium.

She pointed out that on awareness, 295 respondents representing 42.7 per cent said they had heard nothing about the scheme and 53.3 per cent said they heard about it through radio and television. Miss Afful said 51 per cent of those interviewed said they did not really know the details of the scheme and that most of the information received was from their peers.

She said the targeted groups on the research included the aged, widows, street children, youth porters who are squatters with no homes at the Race Course and Bantama in the Metropolis.