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Sefwi Wiawso, Sept. 18, 24HourNews – The Western North Regional Office of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has organised a refresher training for all District Managers and Public Relations Officers (PROs) in the region to enhance operational efficiency and public communication.
The training was in line with the Executive Management’s drive to ensure consistency in operations and effective communication of the Authority’s policies and programmes.
In his welcome address, the Acting Regional Director, Mr. Frank Duku, described the training as timely, noting that it would equip staff with the requisite knowledge and skills to effectively communicate the Authority’s policies to the public.
He said the training would help staff adopt appropriate communication strategies to educate the public on new initiatives, including the One-Time Attendance Code (OTAC) and the Free Primary Healthcare (FPHC).
According to him, District Managers and PROs have a crucial role in creating awareness and ensuring that members fully understand and benefit from the new initiatives.
Mr. Duku stressed that PROs and Managers are the mouthpiece and ambassadors of the NHIS and cannot be left out of its operations. He therefore urged participants to make effective use of radio discussions, public forums and community engagements to communicate the Authority’s programmes effectively.
He further encouraged them to apply the knowledge acquired to improve their work and help elevate the image and operations of the Authority in the region.
The Regional Operations Manager, Dr. Isaac Damptey, also addressed participants on the operations of the Authority. He emphasised the need for the PR Unit to align its communication activities with the operational objectives of the NHIS, noting that effective communication would improve public understanding and service delivery.
The facilitator, Regional Public Relations Manager, Mr. Samuel Cudjoe, took participants through operations and public relations, with emphasis on effective communication, public education and stakeholder engagement.
The sessions covered fundamentals of public relations, effective communication strategies, reporting on illegal charges, community mapping, guidelines for report writing and the NHIS Communication Guidelines to ensure consistency, professionalism and accuracy.
Mr. Cudjoe also educated participants on the OTAC and FPHC initiatives, explaining their significance and the role of PROs in creating awareness about them. He urged Managers and PROs to intensify public education on key services such as members’ contact updates, OTAC and FPHC, and to use their communication platforms to provide accurate and timely information to the public.
The training brought together management members including Dr. Isaac Damptey, Regional Operations Manager; Mr. Nicholas Asante, Regional MIS Manager; Mr. Kennedy Ngyissah, Regional HR Manager; and Mr. Eric Amoako, Regional Administrative Manager, as well as District Managers and PROs from all eight district offices in the region.
The exercise provided a platform for participants to deepen their understanding of public relations, share experiences and strengthen their capacity to communicate the Authority’s programmes. It is expected to lead to more effective public education, stronger stakeholder engagement and improved awareness of NHIS initiatives across the Western North Region.
The Regional Office reaffirmed its commitment to building staff capacity and ensuring the public is well-informed about developments within the Scheme as part of efforts to improve access to healthcare and achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC).