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Star Ghana is poised to partner the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) to increase the patronage of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) from 37% to 42%. Mr Amidu Ibrahim-Tanko, the programmes manager of Star Ghana, said this as the organisation offered to support the action plans that the organisation�s partners have proposed to implement in a one-year action plan, which featured the health sector as one of the thematic areas. This offer was made at the second annual convention of all Star Ghana Grant Partners Programme in Accra last Wednesday. The NHIA has over the years recorded low patronage of 37%, stated the chairman of the group on health, Ms Clarisa Osei Boateng of Send Ghana Limited. Many reasons were given to this effect. Lack of awareness and affordability are some of the challenges facing the patronage of the scheme. According to the group, it is going to partner the NHIA to increase the patronage of the NHIS. The group added that the various actors in the health sector like the Ministry of Health, Ghana Health Service and the Parliament Select Committee on Health shall all be involved in the process. According to Mr Amidu Ibrahim, �Star Ghana will provide the funds for the implementation of the action plans but what is left is the implementation itself.� Other thematic sectors focused on by Star Ghana in this year�s annual convention included education and energy. The convention, which was attended by various non-governmental organisations, was under the theme �The role of civil society in sustaining national development�. They grouped themselves into three to develop action plans for the three thematic areas which were on the agenda of Star Ghana. Mr Amidu further stated that the action plans brought forward by the group are significant and fit well with Star Ghana.