In spite of the relatively low subscription fee for the National Health Insurance Scheme, many Ghanaians, especially in rural communities are unable to pay the premium and end up dying of curable diseases. This is the observation made by a group of Cuban-trained Ghanaian health professionals which has completed a nationwide free medical outreach. A leader of the group, Inuah Yusif, told Luv News the Ghana Health Service Education Unit must step up public education on preventable diseases to help reverse the trend. The group is known as La Vanguardia in Spanish, which translates into The Guardian in English. It comprises doctors and other paramedics trained on Cuban scholarship in the early 1980s. Members have dedicated their weekends to travelling to deprived communities in the country to offer free medical care for rural dwellers. At one of such events organized by social advocacy and pro-NDC group, Movement for a Better Ghana, at Tepa in the Ahafo Ano North District of the Ashanti Region, it was established that over 60 communities in the district do not have any health post. This is in spite of the fact that the district is the region’s leading cocoa producer. Mr. Yusif who is Vice-Chairman of La Vanguardia said even where such facilities exist majority of the people do not have money to subscribe to health insurance to enable them access healthcare. “We have travelled across the country offering free medical care to rural dwellers and it is interesting to note that despite the low premium, people cannot pay to be on the health insurance and they die from preventable causes”, he said. Over 1,500 people were screened and given medication for various ailments during the exercise. Communications manager for the Movement for Better Ghana, Francis Dodovi, indicated that the group would prevail on the government and civil society groups to commit resources to addressing urgent needs of rural Ghana. “When the politics come we will talk about it, but now we are addressing the health needs of people who contribute to our GDP but yet face serious challenges and we believe that government and civil society must come in and help”, he said. Story by Elton John Brobbey/Luv FM/Kumasi