By James Esuon
Agona Nkum (C/R), Sept 7, GNA – The Chris Cares Foundation (CCF), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), has enrolled 3,500 residents on the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in three communities of the Agona West Municipality of the Central Region.
The communities are Agona Upper and Lower Bobikuma, Agona Otsenkorang, and Agona Nkum.
Speaking to the media at Agona Nkum, Mr Chris Arthur, the Executive Director, CCF, said the move was to touch lives of the underprivileged in the municipality, through its corporate social responsibility.
Health was important in every human life, hence the need to support the people, including mothers and children, to get access to quality and affordable health care delivery, he said.
Mr Arthur said the foundation sought so cover more people, many of whom had not been able to renew or register for new NHIS cards due to financial difficulties.
He said health insurance played an important role in health care delivery and that the introduction of the NHIS by the President Kufuor-led government was one of the best pro-poor policies.
The foundation got wind that many people on health insurance in the Agona West Municipality had for the past three to five years not renewed their cards, hence the need to assist them.
Mr Athur said if the health facility was accessible but one’s insurance had expired, it would be extremely difficult to access health care.
“Based on that the CCF had taken it upon itself to provide funds to the NHIS office to enroll anybody, be it a child or an adult, to promote quality health care delivery,” he said.
He said the Government alone could not afford health care for all, hence the need for philanthropists, well to-do individuals and organisations to get on board to support residents to help reduce their health burden.
Some beneficiaries who spoke to the media praised the foundation for the provision of funds to enroll them on the Scheme.
Ms Anita Ampiah, a beneficiary, said the foundation had assisted her and her child to renew their cards, which had elapsed for three years, adding that accessing health care was very difficult due to financial problem.
Mr Kofi Mensah, another beneficiary, said the CCF had not only assisted the inhabitants of Agona Nkum to get health insurance but also facilitated the formation of the town’s volunteer squad to ensure protection of life and property.
The foundation donated sewing machines to junior high school female graduates who could not continue to SHS to enable them to irk a living.
GNA