SSNIT pensioners need not pay premiums to benefit from DMHIS

Saltpond, April 29, GNA - Pensioners who had contributed to the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) when they were in employment need not pay any premium before they enjoy the district mutual health insurance scheme (DMHIS).

MR. Robert Quainoo-Arthur, Mfantseman District Chief Executive, who announced this on Wednesday urged the DMHIS working committees to be very conversant with the rules and guidelines to be able to give the correct education on the scheme to the people.

The people should not be left in doubt as to how the scheme would operate and the benefits they would derive from it.

Mr. Quainoo-Arthur who was inaugurating the DMHIS working committee at Saltpond reminded then that any member of the scheme could access medical treatment anywhere in the country provided the one produced his or her membership card.

"It is not true that one can receive medical treatment at a health facility in his or her district alone," he said.

He said the cost of drugs, which could not be provided at a health facility, would be reimbursed.

Mr. Quainoo-Arthur said the people, especially those in the rural areas saw health delivery as a great burden and said when a burden on some one was removed he or she saw it as a miracle. The DCE cautioned the committee against introducing politics into their work and urged them to be worthy ambassadors, advocates and crusaders of the scheme.

Mr. J.W. Etuah, District Co-ordinator of the scheme said the government had provided 250 million cedis for the establishment of the DMHIS in the district.

He advised the committee to work hard to make the district meet the July 2004 deadline for the take-off of the scheme.