The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) would, from May 1, 2018, kick-start a pilot project to include family planning in its services in six selected municipalities and districts across the country for valid NHIS subscribers.

The introduction of family planning onto the scheme is in collaboration with the Ghana Health Service as part of efforts to reduce maternal and infant mortality, unwanted pregnancies and abortion among the youth, which mostly led to school dropouts and health complications.

Madam Stella Adu-Amankwah, the Deputy Director of Corporate Affairs Directorate, National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), said this at a community durbar on Family Planning practices at Kotintaabig in the Nabdam District of the Upper East Region.

“The NHIS is always looking at opportunities to meet your needs, especially the poor and vulnerable and that is why it covers about 95 percent of disease conditions in the country,” she said.

“It also considers family planning as a way of reducing poverty and spacing children.”

The durbar, organised by the District NHIS, was to sensitise community members on the importance of adopting and practising safe family planning methods, which ensures the growth and development of the child, the wellbeing of women and ultimately contribute to the socio-economic development of the country.

The communities for the pilot are:  Nabdam, Bawku West and the Bolgatanga Municipal in the Upper East Region, Obuasi Municipal in the Ashanti Region, Adaklu-Anyigbe District in the Volta Region, and Mankessim in the Central Region.

Madam Adu-Amankwah said the health of people was the priority of the Scheme and appealed to the public to exercise patience as the Authority worked to solve the overcrowding at the various NHIS facilities.