The National Youth Service Corps has unveiled the enrolment of corps members into the National Health Insurance Scheme under the NYSC Group Individual Family Social Health Insurance Programme, (GIFSHIP).
The NYSC said the health initiative has been designed as a holistic health insurance scheme, covering the periods of Pre-Orientation-as soon as a Prospective Corps Member picks up Call-up Letter, which is the instrument that qualifies him/her for admittance into National Service- until the end of his/her terminal leave, which is three weeks after disengagement from Service.
To ensure effective implementation of the scheme, the NYSC said six Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOS) have been selected after each of the six geopolitical zones to drive the process.
The NYSC urged corps members to register under Health Care Practitioners in their localities.
Director – General of the NYSC Shuaibu Ibrahim said the health scheme is the culmination of the Presidential directive in 2016, which arose as a result of the unfortunate deaths of three corps members deployed to Kano, Zamfara and Bayelsa States Orientation Camps.
Read Also: NYSC warns tertiary institutions against fraudulent mobilisation for national service
At the unveiling of the health scheme on Friday, Ibrahim said the loss of any corps member as it were, provokes sadness in the NYSC, saying it leaves the scheme “highly diminished.”
He said: “The issue of a robust and sustainable health care system for Corps Members has always been of paramount importance to successive management of the Scheme.
“Corps Members, who represent the most critical part of our demography – the youths, are the leaders and builders of tomorrow. Consequently, any Government policy aimed at uplifting this group is akin to building the future of our dear country, Nigeria.
“It is particularly fulfilling that the enrolment of Corps Members into the Health Insurance Scheme is in line with the policy thrust of my administration bordering on the improvement of welfare and security of Corps Members and Staff.”
The Director- General assured management of the NYSC “will leave no stone unturned in order to ensure that all, who have roles to play in this initiative, carry them out with patriotic zeal so as to meet the expectations of the Government.”
He added: “In a bid to further achieve this, I have directed the Corps Welfare and Health Services Department of the Scheme strict monitoring of the HMOs in concert with the NHIS Office to guard against service failure.
“We will ensure that the operations of the health scheme are consistent with the philosophy behind the initiation of this wonderful health insurance scheme by the government.”
Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare said the health initiative is an appreciation of the invaluable contribution of NYSC to the unity and development of Nigeria.
With the health initiative, the Minister said corps members will now be spurred on to give greater service to the good of the nation.