By Yunus S Saliu
The Ministry of Health will today commence its Mass Birth and the National Health Insurance Scheme Membership registration throughout the country, while a demonstration on the Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) was held on Monday at the SOS village, Bakoteh.
This latest development was disclosed Friday by officials of the Health Promotion and Education unit of the Ministry of Health during a press briefing held at the Central Medical Store, Kotu,
Addressing the member of the press, Buba Darbo, Health Communication Manager at the Ministry of Health said everything is set for the commencement of the launching of the National Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS).
He said the two exercises are unique and very important for the development agenda of this country.
According to him, “the launch of the National Health Insurance Scheme and Civil Registration and Vital Statistics campaign is starting on Monday, today, and it is important for everyone.”
National Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) are quite different from ordinary bath certificates which everyone is having hence everything is going to be digitalized.
CRVC “uses inputs into and exits from a population register to provide governments with critical information on their population by age, sex, and location, on which to develop policies and plan services. Good public health decision-making requires timely, reliable, and actionable data on births and deaths, including the cause of death, collected through these systems.”
He noted that the registration is free of charge but the only required documents to register are a birth certificate, national identification card, passport, driver’s license, resident permit; infant welfare card (IWC), alkalo attestation.
“Applicant without required national documents is required to provide attestation from alkalo,” he noted.
According to him, the Ministry of Health will conduct a demonstration on the Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) today at the SOS, Bakoteh.
These exercises, he said will run simultaneously.
Mrs. Amie Dibba, Senior Communication Officer at the CRVS Unit; Lamin Saidy Fye CRVS expert; Sarata Ngak Senior health Economist working at the Directorate of Planning and Information of MoH; Famata Colley, Senior Health Economist, Elizabeth Berai Senior Health Economist and Ousman Kanyi, Senior Health Economist at MoH all dilated on the importance of the exercise as registration kicks off in Banjul; Kanifing and Brikama Administrative areas tomorrow.
