Embrace NHIS, Minister tells workers

Gomoa Kokofu (C/R), Jan 22, GNA- Mr. Yaw Barima, Minister for Manpower Development and Employment has appealed to unionised workers to reconsider their refusal to allow part of their social security contributions to finance the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

He said the NHIS was in the interest of the vulnerable in society and workers' refusal to allow the 2.5 per cent deductions from social security contributions into the Scheme Fund would be unfair to the aged and retired persons, who had reduced incomes and could not afford access to medical care.

Mr Barima made the appeal at an annual get-together of members of the Association of Retired Persons in Ghana, held on the theme: "Keeping the Aged Alive /Caring for the Aged", at Agona Kokofu in Gomoa District of the Central Region on Wednesday.

Mr Barima said it was in the interest of workers in active service now to support the NHIS now, and pointed out that they stood to benefit from the investment after they retired from service and could not longer afford prompt payment to medical care.

He said with gradual breakdown of the extended family system , there was the need to establish solidarity networks, and further develop them into community based social insurance schemes.

Mr Barima commended organisations, which were mobilising financial and material resources and nurturing consciousness on the need to support the marginalised in society.

He urged Ghanaians to rekindle the spirit of voluntarism, and gave an assurance that Government would assist voluntary organisations that collaborated to find effective ways of integrating the underprivileged into mainstream economic activity.

The Central Regional Minister, Mr Isaac Edumadze, who was represented by his Special Assistant Mr. Isshaq Essilfie, asked the association to take advantage of investment opportunities to raise funds to expand its work.

Mr King David Affadzi, Executive Director of the Association, said the Association, which now had 100,000 members nation-wide, aimed to keep the aged and retired persons active for them to transfer their wealth of vast experience to the youth in tradition, culture other skills to the youth.

He said family and community conflicts could be solved by using the vast wisdom of the aged , and added that it was rather unfortunate that old age, which was inevitable, was being neglected.

Mr Captain Justice Incoom, Member of the District Health Committee announced the formation of Committee for the NHIS at the local level and said pictures would soon be taken free of charge for people in the community to register them for the Scheme.

Mr Eric Akobeng, Gomoa District AIDS Focal Person, advised parents in the district against pushing their children into early marriage, and the practice of women farmers paying for services of farm labourers with sex.

He said the prevalence rate of HIV/AIDS in Ghana shot up from 2.2 per cent in 2002 to 3.4 in 2003, and stressed that the adoption of good moral lifestyles as an effective way of reducing the incidence. Nana Kwakwa Ghansah, Chief of Agona Kokofu, chaired the get-together at which the senior citizens were feted and danced to music reminiscent of the good old days.