Techimantia (B/A), July 25, GNA - The Tano South District Health Insurance Scheme paid more than 500 million cedis in claims from January to June as against 491,639,280 cedis from September to December last year.

The scheme has recorded 15,245 hospital attendances so far this year as compared to 10,171 the previous year within the same period with 17,181 registered members.

Mr. Mark Takyi-Agyei, the scheme manager, said this on Monday at a public forum on the new policy direction of the scheme at Techimantia. He expressed concern about the over utilisation of health facilities, lack of funds and logistics to support the smooth implementation of the scheme.

Mr. Takyi-Agyei said the first benefit year of the scheme would end on August 31 and advised members who registered and were eligible to access the minimum health care benefits from September five last year to renew their membership before the closing date. He called on the district assembly, traditional authorities, assembly and unit committee members, religious bodies and all well-meaning residents of the district to assist in the mass education and sensitisation of the populace to raise the level of awareness and consequently the number of registered members. Mr Osei Sekyere Bota, the District Chief Executive, commended the staff of the scheme for their efforts at ensuring that majority of the population in the district were registered for the scheme. He said funds received by the scheme from the National Health Insurance funds amounted to 868,570,000 cedis and that the district assembly had been able to allocate 50,000,000, cedis to support its implementation. 25 July 06