At least 300 residents of Ogbojo within the Adentan Municipality of the Greater Accra Region have benefited from a free National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) registration, breast cancer and medical screening, on Saturday.
The event, which formed part of activities marking the 12th anniversary of the church, organised by the Ogbojo Branch of the Restoration Community Chapel, in collaboration with a nongovernmental organisation, Doxa Women of Substance.
Beneficiaries between the ages of 35 and 45, were diagnosed of hypertension and diabetes while two women were asked to seek medical treatment because they had discharges from their breasts.
Speaking to the Ghanaian Times, the Resident Pastor of the church, Rev Eric Okpoti-Paulo, said the aim of the exercise was to assist members of the community to acquire the NHIS card free of charge.
He said “There are a lot of deprived people in the community, who can be described as urban poor, and this exercise is to help them as part of our social responsibility to them”.
Rev Okpoti-Paulo said the church had planned to organise more community programmes to bring relief to the people of Ogbojo.
He said that the women’s wing of the church would support women in the area, especially single parents, with loans to boost their businesses.
“We are also planning to teach people how to make beads and other items in order to financially equip them so that they can support their children, partners and families,” Rev Okpoti-Paulo said.
Rev Okpoti-Paulo noted that some youth within the community did not aspire for higher education, but rather seek ‘quick means to get money.’
In an attempt to address this challenge, he said the church decided to support the youth acquire vocation or return to school.
Rev Okpoti-Paulo said the church assisted a trotro driver’s mate, by giving him money he earns in a day for him to go back to the classroom.
He called on government to strengthen and equip the Department of social welfare, to enable it assist individuals and families.
A client attendant at Madina NHIS Office, Philip Santah, lamented that some people have refused to roll onto the scheme because of the perception that it was not effective.
He urged the public to ignore such comments and register for the NHIS card in order to reduce the financial burdens associated with their healthcare delivery.
BY JEMIMA ESINAM KUATSINU
