Humanitarian extraordinaire and parish
priest of the Christ the King Church in Accra, Rev Father Andrew Campbell has
praised efforts by the NHIS in reaching the poor and vulnerable in society.
Father Campbell told NHIA Chief Executive, Nathaniel Otoo, that the work of the
NHIA was helping bring relief to many people around the country and urged the
Authority to keep up the good work.
“Continue
supporting the poor, they don’t have anybody. Some of them are always praying
that they don’t get sick because they cannot afford the cost of healthcare.
Continue helping these marginalized people so they feel loved and cared for,”
he said.
Father
Campbell made the remark on Tuesday when he visited the NHIA boss to commend
the Authority for its interest in enrolling the needy and vulnerable
populations of the country onto the Scheme, and to enlist the support of the
NHIA in other humanitarian causes.
“I
see it [NHIS card] work when I go to Weija, Ho with people who cannot afford it
[healthcare]. I want you to continue to do this, that’s the only way we can
help humanity, keep it up,” he encouraged.
According
to him, he has been following the NHIA’s work with the Ministry of Gender,
Children and Social Protection in providing financial access to healthcare to
the needy and less privileged in our society.
In his remarks, Mr Otoo praised Father
Campbell’s dedication to helping the needy and vulnerable in Ghana. He pledged
the NHIA’s continued support to helping the poor get access to healthcare. He
said Father Campbell’s commitment to bringing happiness to the needy is
exemplary.
The
Ghana Living Standards Survey 6, has put the number of the extremely poor among
the Ghanaian population at 8.4%. This translates to about 2.26 million people.
In 2015, the NHIA through inter-agency partnerships enrolled 1.2 million of
this number onto the Scheme. According to the NHIA, this includes the aged,
school children on the School Feeding Program, prisoners, head porters and many
others who now have access to healthcare.
Father Campbell extended an invitation to
the NHIA to join in his soup kitchen initiative where many street and homeless
people are fed a meal every day at the Christ the King Church in Accra. He
called on people of all faiths to abandon the poor and vulnerable in society.
He
was later enrolled onto the Scheme and issued an NHIS card.
Father
Campbell who is originally from Ireland has been in Ghana since 1971
undertaking missionary and humanitarian work. In addition to his work as the
parish priest of the Christ the King Church at Cantoments in Accra, he heads
the Weija Leprosaria and is a founding member of the Help Age Ghana an NGO that
cares for old people.
Source:myjoyonline
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