THE Ministry of Health is to put into operation a National Health Insurance Scheme which will be the main mode of payment for health services.

The scheme will replace the current cash and carry system under which patients are required to pay upfront for health delivery.

Dr R.W. Anane, Minister of Health, said this when he interacted with newsmen in Accra yesterday.

The minister said the institution of the insurance scheme will eliminate the practice where health workers collect illegal fees from patients before treatment.

He said other priority areas to be tackled this year are eradication of guinea worm, control of HIV\\AIDS and malaria, and the development of the human resource base.

The minister said efforts are in progress to launch a final onslaught on the guinea worm menace.

Dr Anane said that it has been targeted that guinea worm will be eradicated by the middle of next year.

He said it has been estimated that about $3 million will be needed and processes have already been initiated to raise the resources.

According to him, the Ministry of Works and Housing is the major player in the eradication process and have initiated processes to provide potable water to affected communities as a means of breaking the chain of infection.

Dr Ayittey Coleman, a director of the Ministry of Health, said the Health Insurance Scheme being worked out will cater for all sectors of the society.

He explained that different schemes will be devised to cater for the different categories of people in the informal as well as formal sector.

He emphasised that even though there will be different schemes, the goal is that “everybody, at least, will be covered under the scheme”.

Speaking on Human Resource Development, the Director, Dr Ken Sagoe, said that the ministry will put in place measures to deal with staff frustrations with recruitment, promotions and retirements process.

He said plans are underway to establish a local Postgraduate Medical College, School of Allied Health Professionals, to see to the training of health personnel locally.

Dr Sagoe said that the ministry is also working out plans and modalities to provide housing facilities as well as transportation for health workers.

These, he explained, will motivate workers to stay on the job and give of their best and also attract more workers.