The Nation Newspaper

Tag: insurance scheme

  • Lagosians urged to embrace insurance scheme

    A member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Bisi Yusuf, and state commissioner for Health, Mr. Jide Idris, have advised residents of the state to key into the health insurance scheme introduced by the government to enjoy better and affordable healthcare delivery services.

    The duo gave the advice on Friday while giving remarks at the presentation of 1,200, 000 drugs and tablets of Albendazole to the Lagos State Government through the state Ministry of Health for the de-worming of children and to improve healthcare of residents. The presentation took place at the ministry of health, Alausa, Ikeja.

    The donation was made by Prince of Hope Foundation (PHF), a baby of Yusuf’s, in conjunction with Vitamin Angels, USA. The health commissioner said the law on the health insurance scheme has already been passed by the state Assembly and that the government wants to change the landscape of health services in the state by introducing insurance scheme which is about to be implemented for the benefit of the people.

    While Yusuf noted that health care was not free any where in the world and that the scheme will take care of health issues of the citizens. “You are only required to contribute a token and when you have any health challenge you will receive treatment that certainly surpass whatever contributions you make to the scheme without any further payments; so its benefit is enormous,” he said.

  • Boost for Kwara community health insurance scheme

    Boost for Kwara community health insurance scheme

    The Kwara State Government has restated its commitment towards providing quality health care for rural dwellers. In the circumstances, the government has re-signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Dutch Health Insurance Fund in a bid to establish health insurance fund.

    Already, about 120,000 rural dwellers have enrolled into the state’s Community Health Insurance Scheme (CHIS) which is a partnership among Hygeia, PharmAccess and Health Insurance Fund.

    The government, it was gathered, plans to increase the number of beneficiaries of the scheme, which began in 2007, to 600,000.

    At the signing ceremony, the Chairman, Dutch Health Insurance Fund, Mr. Kees Storm, who signed on behalf of Dutch Government, said the Kwara State Health Insurance Fund would pool resources from the state government, Federal Government, communities, development partners and the private sector to ensure a successful future of the programme.

    Mr. Storm pledged that the state would receive financial support to the tune of 1.5 million dollars if it meets the conditions for Health Insurance Fund grant.

    He also promised that the Health Insurance Fund and Hygeia would focus on technical assistance for the implementation of the programme in January, next year.

    He commended the state government for the success of CHIS, even as he called on other states to emulate Kwara State Health Insurance model in order to improve people’s access to health care delivery.

    He said: “Kwara State is making history with the signing of this agreement which will lead to the setting up of the first independent state health insurance fund in Nigeria by the end of this year. The sustainability of the Kwara programme lay in strong local ownership. The strong leadership of the state government is critical to the future functioning of the programme.

    “The scheme will pool resources from the state government, Federal Government, communities, development partners and the private sector to ensure a successful future of the Kwara programme.

    “Already, PharmAccess and Hygeia have collaborated with the state in developing a funding proposal for the Federal Ministry of Health/World Bank’s Saving One Million Lives Initiative. We are glad to hear that the proposal has been approved for a $2 million grant for next year.

    “For the effective implementation of the fund, an initial capitalisation of $5 million is needed. We are committed to helping the state to capitalise its health insurance fund with an amount of $1.25 million on the condition that the state and its partners provide $3.75 million.

    “If Kwara State meets this condition, the health insurance fund will, in principle, make an additional contribution of $2.6 million to the fund.”

    In a remark, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed said the agreement would ensure the sustainability of the state’s Community Health Insurance Scheme.

    Governor Ahmed assured the Dutch partners that his administration would continue to strengthen partnership with all stakeholders in setting up the fund and provide health infrastructure for the people of the state.

  • Oyo to launch community insurance scheme

    The Oyo State government is to launch a community-based health insurance scheme.

    Commissioner for Health Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin disclosed this at the weekend while monitoring the examination into the State College of Nursing and Midwifery, held at University of Ibadan (UI), Ibadan.

    According to him, the health insurance scheme would start in 12 local government areas by the end of this month.

    “This insurance scheme will begin with 10,000 individuals in each of the council areas, and it’s basically for artisans and people from the informal sector and they will be entitled to any healthcare including surgery once they have registered. According to WHO, our people are spending 70 per cent of their income on healthcare which is out of pocket expenses,” Gbadegesin said.

    He said it would cost the people N200 a month after the government’s subsidy of N400.

  • N500m for Bayelsa civil servants’ health insurance scheme

    The Bayelsa State Government has earmarked N500million for a health insurance scheme.

    Governor Seriake Dickson announced this when he received the report of the State Health Committee yesterday at the Government House, Yenagoa.

    He said the scheme would cover all civil servants.

    “This is a project that we are very passionate about and that is the state health insurance policy.

    “I hope that your recommendations and findings in that regard are exhaustive but we intend to set up a technical committee to undertake the drafting of the legislation that will support the health insurance scheme.

    “We feel that we should not allow our people to bear the brunt of healthcare. It is never done in any decent society.

    “Our people deserve government’s support in terms of health care provisions.”

    He said all civil servants are expected to pay a token, assuring that government’s contribution towards the scheme would ensure its sustainability.