Berekum MP Dares Mills

THE MEMBER of Parliament for Berekum, Kwaku Agyenim Boateng has challenged the NDC government to come clean on its 2008 promise of implementing a one-time insurance premium payment for the National Health Insurance Scheme or else Ghanaians will continue to doubt politicians.

He said the string of failed promises which has now become an identity of the NDC government, is indelible in the hearts and minds of many Ghanaians and if the party does not take drastic steps to change this, Ghanaians will no longer trust politicians.

The MP gave the advice when he donated a modern multi-purpose ambulance to the Jinjini Health Post in the Berekum constituency.

The MP noted that in the run up to the 2008 general elections all sort of promises were made by the NDC which Ghanaians banked their hopes on and voted the NDC into government.

'But what do we see now? After almost four years in power no legislation has been put up to implement the policy,' he said.

The legislator indicated that the NHIS is gradually sinking and today it is only paracetamol that the premiums could cover. He said the situation has to be reversed quickly so that the intended purpose of the scheme is realized.

He also told his constituency to take matters of their health issues seriously and ensure that they pay regular visits to their health posts.

According to him, many lives are lost during emergencies in Berekum because of lack of ambulances to convey patients to the district hospitals during referrals.

He consequently stressed that the ambulance had come at the right time to solve this problem.

The purpose of the vehicle, he said was to also serve adjoining towns like Domfete, Fetentaa and beyond.

Mr. Agyenim Boateng who is also a deputy General Secretary of the NPP, counseled the people of Berekum to register for the National Health Insurance Scheme as the rationale behind the policy which was implemented by the erstwhile Kufuor administration is to provide free health care delivery.

He noted that even though the present state of the policy is not desirable, Nana Addo upon assumption of office as the next president will salvage and restore it.