Wa, July 4, GNA - The government has donated 100 bicycles valued at 65 million cedis for the promotion of the Mutual Health Insurance Scheme and other health education programmes in the Upper West Region. Mr. Kofi Amponsah Bediako, Government Spokesman on Social Services who presented the bicycles at Wa on Monday, said apart from health insurance, the bicycles would be used to sensitise rural communities on nutrition and environmental sanitation.

He said the government saw the promotion of good health among the people as a key ingredient to the raising of a society that was very productive.

He expressed the hope that the bicycles would be put to the use of which they were intended.

Mr Ambrose Dery, Upper West Regional Minister said the gesture was a testimony of the government's commitment to be proactive in addressing health problems holistically to ensure good health for all. He urged the National Health Insurance Scheme managers in the region to put the bicycles to good use and to also ensure that the scheme took off in the region immediately.

Dr Erasmus Agongo, the Regional Director of Health Services said the bicycles would be of great service to Community Health Volunteers in their contribution towards disease surveillance and community mobilisation.