Child Health: 6.3 million Children to get Ghana Cards

The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) and the National Identification Authority (NIA) have signed a joint cooperative agreement to register 6.3 million children for Ghana cards across the country. The initiative, which covers children between six and 14 years old is scheduled to commence on June 10, 2024. The two bodies have, therefore, urged parents and guardians to ensure that their children were registered to receive the Ghana card to facilitate access to healthcare and identification purposes. A statement issued by the NHIA said the targeted programme formed part of measures to ensure comprehensive healthcare coverage and national identity documentation for the youth. It said the early issuance of the cards sought to enhance access to essential healthcare services while facilitating participation in various socio-economic activities requiring official identification. 'The initiative aims to issue Ghana cards to this demographic, providing them with both healthcare access through the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and official identification through the NIA,' it said. 'The collaboration between NHIA and NIA underscores a concerted effort by the Ghanaian government to streamline administrative processes and expand social services reach.' Dr Da-Costa Aboagye, Chief Executive of NHIA, said the collaboration with the NIA would set the foundation for building inclusive access to healthcare. 'We recognise the importance of providing universal healthcare coverage and ensuring that every child in Ghana has access to essential services,' he said. Dr Kenneth Agyemang Attafuah, Executive Secretary, NIA, described the Ghana Card as the fundamental tool for identity authentication and access to public services. 'The issuance of Ghana cards to children between six and 14 years represents a pivotal step in safeguarding their rights and enabling their full participation in society,' he said. Dedicated registration centres are expected to be set up in schools nationwide to facilitate the process. Source: Ghana News Agency