The Chief Executive of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Dr Victor Asare Bampoe, has challenged authorities in the Jomoro Municipality of the Western Region to intensify efforts to increase enrolment in the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), which currently covers 49.63 per cent of the municipality’s population.
He said the responsibility for intensifying membership mobilisation should be shared by all stakeholders and not left to traditional authorities, the Member of Parliament and the Municipal Assembly alone.
Dr Bampoe made the call when he, in collaboration with the Member of Parliament for Jomoro, Dorcas Affo-Toffey, and the Paramount Chief of the Western Nzema Traditional Council, Awulae Kwasi Amakye III, commissioned the NHIA’s new district office in the municipality.
The commissioning underscores the NHIA’s commitment to expanding health insurance coverage and bringing its services closer to communities.
The priority, however, is to translate the new infrastructure into measurable improvements in enrolment, service quality and public confidence in the scheme.
While acknowledging the progress made, Dr Bampoe urged NHIA staff, traditional authorities, the Municipal Assembly and other community stakeholders to intensify public education and outreach efforts to encourage more residents to enrol in the scheme.
He said the facility must serve as a catalyst for expanding access to healthcare and protecting families against the financial burden of illness, stressing that its success would be measured not by the structure itself but by the lives it touches.
“The true measure of this investment is the number of lives we reach, the families we protect and the confidence we restore in the NHIS,” he emphasised.
Dr Bampoe reaffirmed the government’s commitment, under President John Dramani Mahama, to strengthening access to healthcare through improved health financing.
He also urged healthcare providers to stop charging unauthorised fees for services covered under the NHIS, insisting that improvements in claims payments and provider tariffs must translate into better services for scheme members.
The NHIA chief further charged staff to uphold professionalism, accountability and compassion while prioritising membership education, timely renewals and efficient service delivery.
He also called for regular membership performance reports to strengthen accountability and track progress towards achieving Universal Health Coverage.
The Western Regional Director of the NHIA, Joseph Meneabeh Akpoh, thanked the Member of Parliament for Jomoro, Dorcas Affo-Toffey, traditional authorities and other stakeholders for their support.
He also highlighted staffing and logistical challenges that require urgent attention to improve field operations and service delivery.
Ms Affo-Toffey, who also serves as Deputy Minister of Transport, commended the NHIA’s leadership for bringing its services closer to her constituents.
She encouraged residents to enrol in the NHIS and urged staff to serve the public with courtesy, efficiency and professionalism.
The Paramount Chief of the Western Nzema Traditional Council, Awulae Kwasi Amakye III, described the commissioning as a historic milestone.
He urged traditional leaders to mobilise residents to register with the NHIS and maintain active membership.
The Municipal Chief Executive, Benedict Boadi, said the facility would strengthen public service delivery and support community education on the government’s Free Primary Healthcare initiative.
By 1960news.com
