By Solomon Gumah
Yendi (N/R), Nov 30, GNA – Ya-Na Abukari (II) has been named Brand Ambassador for the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) to help champion the activities of the NHIA in the country.
Dr Bernard Okoe Boye, Chief Executive Officer of the NHIA, made the announcement when he led a delegation of officials of the NHIA to call on the Ya-Na at the Gbewaa Palace at Yendi.
The courtesy call was to pay homage to the Ya-Na and inform him of the strategic initiatives of the government to make NHIA more accessible and affordable to the people.
Dr Boye said, “As part of his ambassadorial role, Ya-Na Abukari (II) will be involved in championing NHIA policies and programmes to achieve 100 per cent enrollment of NHIS beneficiaries.”
He said Ya-Na was chosen for the role in recognition of his contribution towards promoting education and effective health care services in the country and indicated that an effective cooperation with various relevant stakeholders were necessary in ensuring that all Ghanaians were enrolled onto the scheme.
He said the government would launch the National Health Insurance Month in December in the Northern Region, to help maximise the contribution of technology in modern health care delivery.
Dr Boye emphasised that the NHIS Benefit Package had been expanded to include the four commonest childhood cancers and some family planning services and reminded all NHIS subscribers to use the mobile renewal service for their membership renewal.
Ya-Na Abukari (lI) said “The NHIS is an important national policy initiative, which touched the lives of millions of Ghanaians, and its success required the support and collaboration of all stakeholders.
He commended the NHIA for setting up the Co-payment Committee to address illegal charges at health care facilities, adding it was a major concern for many citizens.
He appealed to the NHIA to provide the NHIS at Yendi with mobile kits to enable officers to operate outside their office and “To consider the applications of the pharmacies within the Yendi Municipality to help in the supply of medicines and related services of NHIS to patients to solve the challenge of shortage of medicine in our hospitals.”
He pledged to work with the NHIA to ensure that more citizens were enrolled in the scheme.
The NHIA delegation called on the Northern Regional Minister, Alhaji Shani Alhassan Saibu and other traditional leaders in the region.
GNA