The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP), has registered and renewed National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) memberships for 156 residents of Zoggu in the Nanton District of the Northern Region.
The exercise formed part of a community dialogue on social protection and other social issues being organised by the Ministry’s Social Protection Directorate across selected communities in northern Ghana.
The free registration and renewal exercise, held on June 15, 2026, sought to extend healthcare access to vulnerable members of society while raising awareness about key social challenges affecting communities.
Addressing participants, the Director of Social Protection at the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection and a board member of the NHIA, Francisca Atuluk, urged young people to stay away from illicit drug use, teenage pregnancy and other social vices that could negatively affect their education and future prospects.
She also called on traditional authorities, parents, teachers, assembly members and government institutions to work together to tackle issues such as drug abuse, domestic violence, child marriage and other challenges that continue to make families and communities vulnerable.
The dialogue featured presentations from officials of the Ministry and the Nanton District Assembly on the dangers of substance abuse, domestic violence, child marriage, human trafficking, teenage pregnancy and available social protection interventions.
Officials from the NHIA’s regional and district offices also used the occasion to educate residents on the newly introduced One-Time Attendance Code (OTAC), which is designed to strengthen patient authentication at health facilities and improve the integrity of claims submitted by healthcare providers.
Community members and opinion leaders who participated in the dialogue agreed on the need for collective action to address social problems that hinder development and peaceful coexistence.
The event was chaired by the Kpan Naa, Naa Abukari Andani, and attended by other traditional leaders, including the Sahakpal Naa, Naa Yakubu Zakaria, the Tampion Naa and the Nyeko Naa, whose presence added colour and significance to the programme.
