NHIS registers indigents in Dangbe West

Dangbe West District Office of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) on Wednesday 18th November 2020 mounted a two-day mass membership mobilization exercise at the Old Ningo lorry station.

The exercise was the official launch of Phase 3 of the Ghana Luxembourg Social Trust Project, spearheaded by OGBL-Trade Union Solidarity Ghana-Luxembourg Organization in collaboration with the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA).

The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP) is the principal facilitator of the Social Trust Project.

The phase three which began in April 2019 and is expected to end in March 2022 targets 5,000 indigents in the Dangbe West District.

In his opening remarks, the Dangbe West District Chief Executive, Jonathan J. Doku reiterated that the district needed a permanent NHIS Office.

He stated: “Ningo Prampram needs district NHIS office. We want autonomy.”

The NHIA’s Director of Membership and Regional Operations, Ben Kusi promised that plans were far advanced to establish the district NHIS office by the end of 2020.

He said the NHIS will continue to provide financial risk protection to all residents in Ghana particularly the vulnerable groups.

Mr Kusi highlighted the integration of NHIS and Ghana cards and urged all residents in Ghana to enroll onto the Scheme for better healthcare services.

He raised alarm over the actions of some imposters going round collecting people’s Ghana cards under the pretence of helping them link it to the NHIS card.

According to him, the NHIS has almost 13 million active members and is poised to increase it as Ghana is on the path of attaining Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by 2030.

He urged the Scheme’s members to always use the Mobile Renewal Service shortcode *929# for their membership renewals.

National Coordinator of OGBL, Priscilla Odotei said the organization existed for 10 years and has so far implemented projects aimed at improving the livelihood of the destitute in deprived communities.

These include a child rights protection project in the Shai community, phases one, two and three of the Social Trust Project.

She commended the National Health Insurance Authority for the mutual coalition since the inception of the Social Trust Project.

Ben Kusi and the Dangbe West DCE later inspected a new building earmarked for the District NHIS office.

The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP) with support from the Ghana – Luxembourg Social Trust (GLST) collaborated with the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) to pilot and implement the registration of the poor and vulnerable in the Dangbe West District.

The project which was implemented with phases one and two already carried out successfully aims to improve maternal and child health in the district.

The phase one was implemented in August 2015 with 937 indigents registered while phase two was implemented in November 2018 and in the end, 1,728 indigents were registered.