Helpingothers, a charity-based Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) has renewed the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) cards of about 360 pupils of the Kalbeo-Tindonsobligo Primary School in the Bolgatanga Municipality.

The gesture was also extended to some members of the public, especially the aged from the Kalbeo and Tindonsobligo communities in the Upper East Region.

Ms Claudia Garcia Castlo, a Lead member of the organisation told the Ghana News Agency in an interview during the exercise that Helpingothers considered health as the most important aspect of human life and the health of children was of paramount importance to them.

She said even though the exercise was solely for the pupils, adults within and outside the community benefitted from the exercise to enable them to access health care services.

She said in the six years operations of the NGO in the Region, the team observed that some residents had inactive NHIS cards and had to pay for basic health care services at health care facilities.

She said there was the possibility to scale-up the help to other schools in the Municipality, 'We are happy to do this, and we would love to continue with this in the future. It is an important exercise.'

Ms Castlo said their stay in Ghana had ended, and they would soon return to Spain, their home country.

On behalf of her family members who make up the NGO, Ms Castlo acknowledged and thanked their Church, friends and her father, Mr Antonio Garcia Condado for the support over the years.

Madam Ajara Wayo, the Headmistress of the school, said management was happy with the initiative of the NGO, noting that some pupils NHIS cards had been inactive for more than three years.

She said about 360 pupils were from Primary one to six, noting that 'It is a good step in the right direction, and we thank the NGO and our Parent-Teacher Association's Chairman for putting this exercise together.'

Mr Thomas Ayambila Apaala, the Assembly Member for the Tindonsobligo-Kumbanger Electoral Area thanked Helpingothers for the initiative and said it would encourage parents to visit health facilities.

He said some community members resorted to self-medication instead of visiting health facilities for care, owing to their inactive NHIS cards, and appealed to the NGO to extend the initiative annually to the community.

'It is a good initiative, and the community will be happy,' he noted.

The Assembly Member said the community lacked drinking water and toilet facilities and appealed to leadership of the NGO and others to consider them for such support.

Some parents of the pupils, who also benefitted from the exercise, expressed gratitude to Helpingothers and wished them well in all their endeavours.

Source: Ghana News Agency