A public forum on the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) has been held at Tepa in the Ahafo-Ano North District.
The forum was aimed at evaluating the performance of the scheme since it became operational in the district last year, the challenges and the way forward to make it more attractive and sustainable.
The Very Reverend John W. Baiden, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Scheme, said one year after the take off of the scheme, less than 13,000 out of the district's estimated 90,000 inhabitants have registered as members, which he described as insignificant.
He mentioned the absence of a complaint committee to handle clients and service providers, lack of general assembly, unofficial inauguration of the scheme in the district and the number of registered people who claim to be single parents as the most pressing challenges facing the scheme.
The forum identified poverty as one of the major problems preventing many people from joining the scheme and it was suggested that registration should be opened throughout the year and payment of premium made flexible for those who cannot make prompt payment.
It also came out that diabetes and hypertension are the two diseases, which are gradually emerging among the 10 major diseases in the area.
It was therefore suggested that people must be encouraged to do more exercises and change their lifestyles else the scheme could collapse.
Mr Mathew Baffoe, the District Health Information Officer, said health centres and clinics in rural areas would soon be provided with communication equipment to enable them to have easy access to ambulance services when the need arises.