DCE warns saboteurs of health insurance scheme saboteurs

Twifo-Praso, (C/R), Nov. 20, GNA- Mr. Samuel Agyeibie-Kessie, District Chief Executive (DCE) for Twifo-Hemang-Lower-Denkyira has warned that his administration will deal drastically with service providers for the district's mutual health insurance scheme who thwart it for their personal and parochial interests.

He noted that there have been such allegations, and cautioned that 93one of the worst things that could happen to us as a people, community, a district or a country is to go back to the cash and carry system of health care financing=94.

The DCE, gave the warning, at the first annual general meeting (AGM) of the district's mutual health scheme, under the theme, 93good health, a sacred responsibility=94, at Twifo Praso at the week-end. He reiterated the importance of the health insurance scheme, and pointed out that statistics indicated that about 80 per cent of Ghanaians who need health care cannot afford it and further warned that he would therefore, not 93sit unconcerned=94 for the scheme to be made unattractive in the district.

He urged the providers to endeavour to help the scheme management make the scheme attractive to subscribers in the area and appealed to stakeholders including Nananom, assembly members and religious bodies to expose saboteurs of the scheme, to make the district's model scheme in the country.

Mr. Emmanuel Badu, the scheme manager, said the scheme which has so far registered 22,547 persons, has paid claims totalling 692.5 million cedis since November 2005.

He expressed the hope that the community committee members of the scheme will rally behind the board and management team to make the scheme successful.

Mr Frank Mbeah, chairman of board of directors of the scheme, expressed the hope that registration would increase by 30 percent in the coming year and called for a concerted effort to help achieve this. Mr Emmanuel Gyamfi, central regional coordinator of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) said 460,000 have been registered in the region as at June 2006, a total of 3.2 billion cedis collected and 4 billion cedis paid to service providers.

Nana Appiah Nuamah II, Omanhene of Twifo-Mampong traditional area, who presided, appealed to the people in the district to embrace the scheme and support the government in its bid to provide better health care.