V/A: More than 20 thousand vulnerable people to benefit from NHIA

More than 20 thousand vulnerable people in the Adaklu and Agortime Ziope Districts of the Volta Region are to benefit from the National Health Insurance Authority’s (NHIA) 'underprivileged identification system’. 
 
The initiative which is being piloted in 10 districts seeks to enrol citizens who cannot afford to pay premiums to enable them to enrol onto the Health Insurance Scheme to access free health care. 
 
It is being implemented by the NHIA in collaboration with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection with funding from a consortium of partners, namely the International Finance Corporation, a subsidiary of the World Bank Group, Marie-Stopes International and PharmAccess Foundation.

During the process a scientific method called the “Proxy Means Test Tool” is administered using an electronic device to register beneficiaries in their homes.

Launching the project at Adaklu Waya in the Adaklu District, the Deputy Director of NHIA in Charge of Membership and Regional Operations, Collins Akuamoah, said the two districts were selected due to high poverty levels according to the statistics available. 

He added that the process will be done objectively without regard to one's political affiliation.
 
Mr Akuamoah said government is determined to ensure that the eight- point -four percent very poor Ghanaians according to the Statistical Service records are not deprived of quality health care.

A Senior Divisional Chief of the Adaklu Traditional Area, Togbe Agbobada commended the NHIA and the funding agencies for choosing the area for the project and urged his people to cooperate with the officers during the registration period to ensure success.
  
GBC