2500 Elderly Gets Free NHIS Registration In Accra

The Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection (MoGCSP), in collaboration with the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) had undertaken a free registration excercise for the Aged in the Greater Accra Region with the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). A total of two thousand five hundred (2500) elderly above the age of seventy (70) would benefit from the excercise. During a working visit to the registration centres, the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Nana Oye Lithur, said the excercise was in line with the Ministry's mission to safeguard the rights, freedom and welfare of the elderly as provided for in the Constitution of Ghana. She added that, the free registration would help address the health needs of the elderly in order to make their lives comfortable. The Minister disclosed that, her Ministry were engaging with Development Partners and the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to support the training of geriatric professionals to cater for the medical needs of the elderly. In order to address issues related to the elderly, Nana Oye Lithur said the Ministry had established an Ageing Desk which would help interact with the aged in the society. She stated that, the Ministry were also ensuring an effective implementation of the National Ageing Policy, as well as exploring new and simple programmes such as free bus ride, and priority banking and health services to help the aged have easy and smooth life. According to her, the Ministry in collaboration with the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) was in the process of drafting a Bill for enactment by parliament to facilitate the establishment of the National Council Ageing which would give the multi-faceted and dimensional of issues on ageing. The Minister further tasked Ghanaians to show support to the elderly in the society by improving their lives in all aspect. On his part, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NHIA, Mr Sylvester Mensah said the excercise was neccessary since it would help the aged have access to free and quality healthcare. He disclosed that, about 381,000 aged and 1.2 million people under the category of the poor and less previlidged were registered last year as part of their quest in helping the valnurable in the society and expects the figures to rise this year. Mr Mensah added that, they would give free registration to children under the age of eighteen (18) years to help lessen the burden on their parents. He further expressed gratitude to MoGCSP for bettering the lives of the aged in the society and pledged NHIA's support in ensuring that.