The Madina District Office of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), in collaboration with the La Nkwantanang Municipal Health Directorate and the Assembly Member for LaNMMA Social Welfare North, Joseph Kodzo Ahianyor, has marked World Sickle Cell Day with a stakeholder engagement.
The event, held at the Madina Technical Institute, focused on increasing awareness of the Free Primary Health Care (FPHC) initiative and the NHIS expanded Benefit Package.
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The NHIS District Manager, Hubert Addo King Ampratwum, described the FPHC initiative as a transformative intervention that complements the NHIS and supports Ghana’s efforts towards achieving Universal Health Coverage.
The District Public Relations Officer, Dorothy Martinson, explained that the FPHC package focuses on preventive healthcare through early detection.
She said the free services include blood pressure and blood sugar screening, breast, cervical and prostate cancer screening, immunisation, malaria and cholera treatment, as well as maternal and child healthcare.
She encouraged residents to maintain active NHIS membership, noting that services outside the FPHC package and referrals to higher-level facilities require valid NHIS coverage.
The Management Information Systems Officer, Adin-Darko, also sensitised participants on the NHIS membership contact update exercise and the new One-Time Attendance Code (OTAC) system.
She explained that members can generate a four-digit verification code through *929#, which is sent to their registered mobile number and remains valid for 24 hours.
She added that NHIS staff will assist elderly members and those without mobile phones to generate the code, while the OTAC system is currently being piloted in some regions ahead of a nationwide rollout.
Goodwill messages from health officials and stakeholders emphasised the importance of early sickle cell screening, particularly among newborns, to improve health outcomes.
