The
Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, has registered the
elderly at Akropong in the Eastern Region numbering 500, onto the
National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
The registration which
was done for free, formed part of effort by the ministry to give the
elderly in the country access to free health care.
As part of
the programme, the Ministry also sensitized the elderly on some of the
ailments affecting them, and how they could be prevented
Nana
Oye Lithur, the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection said
the new ministry was introduced to give much focus and attention to
issues regarding the elderly.
She said government recognized and
duly appreciated support the elderly gave to the country during the
youthful days, hence the need to create a ministry to cater for their
needs.
She gave the assurance that the Urban Elderly Card which
was recently introduced to give some comfort to the elderly, would be
introduced in the area.
She said with the new card, holders
enjoyed 50 percent discount anytime they boarded public transport, and
were also not supposed to join queues any time they visited hospital
facilities.
She said the ministry was still negotiating with
some supermarkets to also reduce the prices of their goods and services
anytime the holders of the new Card visited to do shopping.
"Our
elderly men and women have served this nation well, and government is
very committed to put in the necessary measures that will cater for
their well being," she said.
Nana Oye Lithur announced that
government had laid before Parliament a law that would further cater for
the health needs of the elderly.
She disclosed that the
Ministry had also embarked on the registration of prisoners on the
National Health Insurance Scheme across the country, adding that all
inmates of the Koforidua prisons had been registered, and the next stop
was the Nsawam prisons, with the others to follow soon.
Mr
Nathaniel Otoo, Acting Chief Executive Officer of National Health
Insurance Authority, advised all subscribers to report any health
facility to the Authority which would demand money for providing health
care to them. |
| |
|
|
|
|
No comments:
Post a Comment