They said the move was in the right direction as it would increase enrolment, reduce financial burdens and help attain universal access to health care.

They made the commendation when the Corporate Affairs Directorate of the NHIA paid separate courtesy calls on the Regional Minister in Bolgatanga and Bonaba at Bongo in the Upper East Region as part of a nationwide stakeholder sensitization on the introduction the new policy.

The NHIA, among its restructuring processes to make the Scheme more responsive to the needs of the beneficiaries, has introduced electronic payment of premium and renewal of the NHIS cards.

The mobile renewal of the NHIS cards would ensure that registered members of the Scheme who wish to renew their cards could do so using their mobile phones at any time.

With this new policy, which has already been piloted successfully at Asuogyamang and West Mamprusi Districts in the Eastern and Northern regions respectively, members can renew their membership via mobile phones that have mobile money account and have money on it by dialling *929# to all networks on any type of mobile phone.

The innovation is aimed at ensuring the sustainability of the NHIA and also enable all members registered on the Scheme to be active.

It is in respect of this that the Corporate Affairs Directorate of the NHIA is engaging all relevant stakeholders to sensitize them on this new policy to ensure a smooth roll out and implementation.

Madam Abayage said the NHIS was introduced to assist the poor in society and the move  to make the Scheme strong and sustainable as well as responsive to the needs of the people was laudable.

She said one of the biggest headaches since the assumption of office as Regional Minister was the “the unnecessary overcrowding at the various facilities where people go to register or renew their membership and people including pregnant women had to sleep there for days.”

The Regional Minister said the initiative would benefit the Upper East Region due to the poor nature of the roads linking the various communities to the district capitals and the cost involved in travelling to those places.

The Bonaba, who is also the Vice President of the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs, said the National Health Insurance has been of great help to the people despite the challenges that confronts it.

Whilst pledging to educate his sub chiefs and subjects to create awareness on the policy to their people and its subsequent adoption, he urged the public to be wary of fraudsters who would want to take advantage of the initiative to deceive them.

Mr Ben Kusi, the Director of Membership and Regional Operations at the NHIA, said President Nana Akuffo-Addo would officially unveil the policy on December 19.