Mampong (Ash), July 25, GNA- Participants at this year's mid-year review meeting of the Mampong Municipal Health Directorate, on Wednesday expressed serious concerns about the delay in the issuance of registration cards to clients of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

They said the situation where clients were issued with cards three months after registration was unacceptable as it prevented clients from accessing health care within the shortest possible time. The participants appealed to the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) to strive to review the system and decentralise the printing of the ID cards to help clients' access health care on time, whilst encouraging the unregistered to register with the scheme.

They kicked against a directive by the NHIA to the effect that, the printing of the ID cards was to be centralised in Accra, saying this defied the purpose for which the NHIS was instituted as it will create inconveniences at the district level in the issuance of the cards. Mr Felix Yankyera Donkor, Claims Officer of the Mampong Municipal Health Insurance Scheme, noted that under the Pregnant Women Free Medical Treatment Package, beneficiaries would enjoy free ante-natal care at accredited health facilities and therefore urged women to register in their numbers to their own advantage.

He warned the citizenry not to politicise the NHIS concept to ensure its successful implementation.