In furtherance of its mandate to deepen the penetration of health insurance in the country, as well and take the prospects of universal health coverage forward for Nigeria, The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) is intensifying its resolve to decentralize the operation of health insurance in the country. In furtherance of its mandate,the Scheme has initiated a series of advocacy visits to state governors across the country to secure their understanding and cooperation regarding their roles in the new order. This was contained in a statement made available to LEADERSHIP yesterday in Abuja by the Head, Media & PR Division of NHIS, Ayo Osinlu.Akingbade, who was received on behalf of the governor ‘s deputy, Arch. Barnabas Bala Bantex, stated that as part of the strategies to scale up coverage of Nigerians within the shortest time frame, the Scheme has developed the State Supported Social Health Insurance Programme (SSHIP), targeted at increasing health access for every citizen of Nigeria. He further noted that the SSHIP will give the state the necessary autonomy to set up their own health insurance agency that will provide access to health care through pooling of financial resources.
According to the statement, the Ag. Executive Secretary said the Scheme has developed a blueprint that each state can adapt to its peculiarities and a legal framework for the operation of the programme, whereby every participant will know their role leading to a seamless operation of the programme. The NHIS boss further emphasized that every participating state will have a sizable bulk of its contributions into the programme channeled back into the state healthcare system. “The NHIS”, he said, ‘’will match up funds the state puts into the programme with resources accruing from the National Health Act, so that the state generate sufficient capacity to deliver an effective health insurance programme on a sustainable basis.
He however appealed to the state government to, as a matter of urgency, initiate the process of enacting an appropriate law that expressly make health insurance compulsory in the state, while also guaranteeing the sustenance of the programme in the state. Responding, the deputy governor of Kaduna State, Arch. Bala Bantex applauded the Scheme for offering opportunities to Nigerians to be able to access health care without regards to financial, physical or geographical constraints.
He emphasized the commitment of the El Rufai administration in the state to accord the health and general welfare of the people priority attention, especially the poor and the vulnerable, in accordance with the personality and disposition of Governor El Rufai in the area of healthcare delivery. Also, Osinlu said in the statement that the acting executive secretary visited Jigawa State where he congratulated the state government for partnering the Scheme in the NHIS/MDG/MCH programme that has been a huge success since its inception.
Replying, the Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Muhammed Badaru Abubakar, commended the management of the Scheme on its various effort to improve the health indices of the country and pledged the support of its administration to the Scheme. He stated that without a healthy population, there will not be productivity which ultimately will lead to a damaged economy. Gov. Badaru reiterated that the state government had included its counterpart funding for NHIS programmes in its 2015 budget because it considers the health of its citizens paramount at all times.
He pledged the commitment of the government to do whatever it takes to make the programme succeed in the state, adding that it is committed to reversing the negative indices posted in its health care delivery system. On the Ag. Executive Secretary entourage are the General Managers, Kaduna Zonal office, Alhaji Isa Kaita; Zonal Office Department, Alhaji Mohammed Idris; Human Resources Department, Alhaji Mohammed Maa’ji; Formal Sector Department, Dr. Jonathan Eke; Informal Sector, Dr. Hamza Aliyu; Marketing Department, Hajia Asma’u Mohammed and the Head of Legal Services, Barr. Blessing Nienge.
Source:Leadership Online
