The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Banda in the Bono Region, Peter Dongi, has assured residents that the district will soon have its own National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) office for the first time since its establishment in 2012.
Mr Dongi explained that the absence of a local NHIS office has caused significant hardship, forcing residents to travel to the neighbouring Tain District to register or renew their NHIS cards. Many communities in Banda are remote, making the journey long and difficult, with some residents spending nights outside their communities to complete registration.
To address this, the District Assembly, in collaboration with Banda Member of Parliament Ahmed Ibrahim, is converting a building initially intended for the police directorate into an NHIS office, aimed at easing the burden on residents.
The DCE also highlighted the need for a district hospital, describing access to quality healthcare as a major challenge. Efforts are ongoing, in partnership with the MP, to secure a government hospital for Banda within President John Dramani Mahama’s four-year term.
Meanwhile, the assembly is strengthening primary healthcare delivery through the construction of additional Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compounds and plans to upgrade the existing health centre into a polyclinic. Mr Dongi noted that two newly commissioned CHPS compounds were legacy projects started under the previous administration and completed by the current government, in line with President Mahama’s commitment to finishing uncompleted projects nationwide.
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