The Greater Accra Regional Directorate of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) has intensified its membership registration drive in the Dangme East District, in order to reach out to many rural communities.

The week long exercise which started on Monday December 8, under the supervision of Mr Lawrence Amartey, Greater Accra Regional Director of the Scheme, has 10 mobile registration stations reaching out to the various communities.

The aim of the exercise is to help the people, especially the poor and the needy to be able to access affordable healthcare services under the Scheme.

The Dangme East District has one newly constructed hospital at Faithkope, two health centres at Pediatorkope and Ada Foah, three health posts at Kasseh, Sege and Bonikope and a clinic at Anyamam.

Mr Amartey toured some selected registrations centres on the first day of the exercise, which took him to Tortimekope, Azizanya, Pediatorkope and the NHIS District Office at Ada Foah.

The Regional Director and his entourage had to use a boat to reach out to Pediatorkope, which is among the 24 island communities on the Lower Volta River in the district to be covered.

Mr Amartey used the opportunity to educate the people on the importance of the NHIS registration and the need for all Ghanaians to join the scheme, as a guarantee to seek appropriate health care without financial difficulties.

He said it was realised in January, 2014, that some districts were lagging behind especially the Dangme East, which necessitated the need for the exercise.

The Regional Director said inhabitants of the island communities had to travel by boat to Big Ada and board another vehicle to Ada Foah to be registered at the district office, which often resulted in long queues and delays.

He assured that the exercise would be extended to other districts within the region which were also lagging behind.

He said the week-long exercise would ensure that the NHIS registration was brought to the door steps of the people.

Nene Awussah IV, Asafoatse of Dangme Biawe, lauded the Scheme for coming to the district and appealed to the people to come out in their numbers to register.

Madam Eunice Pupulampo, a beneficiary of the scheme, also commended the NHIS for bringing the registration to the door step of community members.