The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has disclosed that biometric registration of new applicants unto its scheme, the National Health Insurance Scheme, will be taken to various educational institutions including primary and high schools to get students registered before vacation.
This is to reduce the long queues at registration centers. The queues, it has been observed, have had students applying to get the new cards.
Speaking on TV3’s Midday Live on Wednesday, May 21, Chief Executive Officer of the Authority Sylvester Mensah admitted that the Authority has been overwhelmed by the number of people who want to be biometrically registered and instantly issued with a new identity card.
Mr Mensah was, however, quick to add that the situation shows the confidence Ghanaians have of the scheme, contrary to opinions in certain quarters that it is collapsing.
He said those whose cards have not expired can still use them to access health services.
The biometric registration began in February, this year.
Already, three regions of the country have so far been covered, according to Mr Mensah.
He has, therefore, projected that by the end of the year, biometric registration and instant issuance of ID cards will cover the entire country.
“We expect that by the middle of next year, the queues will reduce,” he stated.
