FG Plans To Extend NYSC, Prison Inmates, Retirees health Insurance Coverage.

                                                                

                                                                


The federal government has said that plans were ongoing to extend health insurance policy to cover National Youth Service Corps, jail inmates and retirees across the country in a move to reduce burden for citizens.
This was made known by the Acting Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Medical health insurance Scheme (NHIS), Mr. Femi Akingbade during the start of the Community Structured Social Insurance Scheme at Kago in Bwari Place Council of Abuja.

Akingbade said: "As we make an effort towards obtaining our concentrate on of Universal Health Insurance coverage (UHC), our key obstacle remains extending the great things about social health insurance to the informal sector.

"As we all know, Nigerians have a very huge informal sector, which sorts 80 per cent of total population, while we also recognise the facts that the planet of our targets and goals are only possible if we can provide health insurance cover for this sub-sector. "

To that end, the NHIS Acting Professional Secretary explained that federal government had been formulating "Programmes for NYSC members, jail inmates and retirees are also making perfection towards being presented of the good thing about the several categories of beneficiaries nationwide.

"The Community Based Health Program (CBHIP) is our technique to reach out to the informal sector. With a well developed blueprint and an implementation manual in position, we have commenced setup through the six geo-political areas and specific zones of the country. In addition, we are at the same time of active engagement with stakeholders to roll away CBHI programme for investment groups and cooperative organizations, " Akingbade added.

Exec Director, Centre for Overall health, Education, Economic Rehabilitation and Social Security, Hajia Ogugua Adagbo argued that the essence of health insurance is "to ensure that marginalised and vulnerable organizations and communities gain access to education, health and other social services with the purpose of empowering them and increasing their health position.

"In this way, we contribute in no small measure, to the socio-economic advancement the nation. The interventions are in 3 key thematic areas of health, education and personal strength. "

Adagbo explained that "the flag-off is a demonstration of our relationship, where we have interested various communities in the FCT and other areas of the federation to assist in the creation of Mutual Health Interactions (MHAs) to promote CBSHIP. The Bwari Mutual Overall health Association is our first fruit these engagements. inches

Also speaking, Esu Bwari, Ibrahim Yaro commended authorities on its resolve to extend health insurance to rural areas, stating that, "we are pleased with first this programme at the neighborhood government level. And not only to city servants but also to our farmers, this is an issue that is placed in the middle of our people's existence and the expectation of an improved quality health life.

"We hope that there will be faithful implementation by the NGOs involved. And I urge them to meet their duties to justify the aims and objectives of the system. We need to liaise with the village and the district heads to ensure that our attempts of awareness reach the grass roots and we give all the wonder to God, " Yaro said.