The Ejura-Sekyedumase Municipal National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) has targeted 80 per cent coverage of the area’s population of 96,674 by the close of next year.

The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Alhaji Mohammed Braimah Bawa, said every effort and assistance would be given to the scheme managers by the assembly to achieve this.

Currently, there are 50,533 active health insurance card holders in the municipality, a figure, he said, needed to sharply increase to bring quality healthcare to the people – predominantly farmers.

He was speaking during a free registration of more than 500 aged people at Ejura under the “Caring for our elderly” programme launched by the Gender, Children and Social Protection Ministry.

This is being done in collaboration with the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA).

Alhaji Bawa gave high marks to the NHIS staff for the good job they were doing and encouraged them to continue to work hard to expand the scheme’s coverage.

He also welcomed the Gender Ministry’s intervention, describing it as refreshing relief to many.

Nana Oye Lithur, the Sector Minister, who was on hand to oversee the registration exercise said it tied in with the government’s efforts at giving protection to the needy, the poor and the vulnerable.

So far, 10,000 aged people across three regions – Eastern, Volta and Central, are enjoying free healthcare under the programme.

Nana Oye Lithur said from Ashanti, their next stop is Tamale in the Northern Region and that this would happen before the end of the year.

Nana Diasempa Antwi II, the Ejura Krontihene, complained about widespread child labour in the area and called for more support towards the drive by the traditional council to address the problem.