Forty five community health volunteers from nine communities in the Northern Region, have been trained to assist the most vulnerable, to patronise the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in order to access healthcare.

The workshop was organised by a coalition of non-governmental organisations (NGO), who focused on the development of the western corridors in the region, with funding from STAR Ghana, a multi-donor pooled organisation.

Mr Joseph Shaibu Mumuni, President of Kathipo Community Development, a Buipe based NGO said the project’s objective is to ensure that pregnant women, children under 18, persons with disabilities and the aged have access to the services of the scheme and the Community Health Programme and Service compounds.

He suggested that measures should be put in place by the scheme managers to make a special registration for vulnerable groups. Mr Abdul Razak Brima, Central Gonja District NHIS Manager said the scheme is one of the most effective tools that could help reduce poverty and improve health care delivery at all levels.

He schooled the participants on the scheme’s registration categories, price list for the different registration groups, waiting period and registration under free maternal care.

Some of the participants expressed dissatisfaction about the inability of some of the 0personnel who register them to capture their photographs on the Identity cards they issue to them.