Over 1.5 million people have registered with the National Health insurance Scheme (NHIS) in the Ashanti Region alone since the inception of the biometric registration a year ago.

Officials project the figure could hit over 2 million by the end of December from the current 1.592 million mark, as a special exercise begins to register the vulnerable and identifiable groups.

Regional Manager, Daniel Frimpong, says the scheme is now out of initial challenges, especially, following introduction of capitation and the biometric registration.

The biometric registration process was fraught with technical hitches including persistent break-down of equipment, amidst public outcry over delayed processes at registration centers.

“Because we were migrating from one platform unto another, we had those challenges but I can assure you all these challenges is being taken care of,” said Mr. Frimpong.

The manager reveals the military and other security personnel as well as prison and orphanage inmates are the next focus in the registration exercise.

“We are targeting the destitute; we’ve been to the Kumasi Childrens Home, SOS Herman Children’s Village, the one at Oyoko [Westphalian Home] and we are targeting other places as well,” he said.

Mr. Frimpong is hopeful once migration bottlenecks have been addressed, more subscribers will be covered.

General Officer Commanding the Ghana Armed Forces Central Command, Brigadier-General Joseph Boampong, urges personnel to patronize the exercise as it comes to their door-step.

“I urge all our troops and their families to register with the NHIS because the benefits to be derived are enormous,” he said. “Anybody who is hearing me should also take advantage and register with the NHIS so that they can derive all those enormous benefits that the program gives out”.