Both old and new biometric NHIA cards are valid – Public assured

The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has assured members of the public that both old and new biometric ID cards are valid and could be presented to access treatment.

It said even though the authority had begun issuing biometric ID cards, it was meant for new members and those whose cards had expired.

At a press briefing in Accra Thursday, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the NHIA in charge of Operations, Mr Nathaniel Otoo, revealed that people had queued at the registration centres for new biometric cards even though their old cards had not expired. Nationwide roll-out

He said the nationwide roll-out of the instant issuance of identity cards based on biometric data was to correct challenges previously faced by the authority, where people had to wait for months for their cards.

According to him, the issuing of the biometric cards is a gradual scale-up process, and with the progress made so far, they are confident that the whole country will be covered by the end of the year. 

He said after the nationwide registration, the exercise would continue until all cards had been changed to biometric. Biometric cards

Mr Otoo said the instant issuance of identity cards based on biometric data started in the Greater Accra Region in January 2014 after a pilot which targeted the police and the military in two districts in the Greater Accra Region — Ayawaso and La. 

He indicated that so far, 432,000 instant ID cards had been issued to subscribers in the Greater Accra, Central and Eastern regions, with the Ashanti Region to follow soon. The biometric card

Mr Otoo said the new card could store minimum medical record such as the blood group, allergies of members and facilities visited, enhance data credibility, ensure clean data and secure the card from unauthorised access.

According to him, upon acquisition, the card is valid for five years, subject to annual renewal, adding that it addresses the issues of data integrity and authentication of subscribers by health care providers.