Plans are underway to include soldiers in the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) being operated by the Ghana Health Service(GHS), says Brigadier-General J.N. Wadhwani, Commander of the 37 Military Hospital. He said this when briefing the Minister of Defence, Lt. Gen. Joseph Henry Smith (rtd) during a visit to the hospital as part of a three-day working tour of selected units under the Fifth Garrison to obtain firsthand information on the conditions in the units. The Director of Public Relations of the Ghana Armed Forces, Col. Emmanuel W.K. Nibo, explained that the decision to include soldiers in the NHIS was to enable those of them living outside Accra to access healthcare. He told the Ghanaian Times that though soldiers already enjoyed free medial care, even while on retirement, some of them found it difficult at times travelling to the 37 Military Hospital in Accra for treatment. "It is only additional health care security measure for those not living in Accra to access healthcare," he said, and added that the plan was an infant one the details of which were being worked out before implementation. Col. Nibo said soldiers by the nature of their work, do not pay premium, adding that the payment would be made on their behalf by the system. He said the military had medical reception stations at all garrisons throughout the country, where soldiers could access health care but personnel with very serious sickness, that required surgery for example, were referred to the 37 Military Hospital for treatment. Source: The Ghanaian Times