National Health Insurance Authority to enroll 83 million vulnerable Nigerians.
By Babangida Galleon
The National Health Insurance Authority said, it will be enrolling about eighty three million vulnerable Nigerians into the health insurance scheme.
This was made known by the Adamawa state coordinator, National Health Insurance Authority, Abdulhakeem Aliyu Musa during its sixth stakeholders meeting which took place in Yola, the Adamawa state capital.
The state coordinator, Abdulhakeem Aliyu Musa said, while signing the act, the president mandated the Authority to enroll eighty three million vulnerable Nigerians across the country.
Abdulhakeem said the Direcor General of the Authority is working together with parents ministry and other relevant government ministries and agencies had set up a committee to come out with strategies of meeting that target.
” we are going to get something from international donor agencies and the federal government to actualize this plan. They are not expected to pay a dime ”
Abdulhakeem said, the new act in line with best world practice will make it compulsory for every Nigerian to be enrolled into the programme and as a regulating body, the authority can operate effectively as well.
“for the first time it is stated in the act that if a facility collects capitation from NHIA on behalf of an enrollee, he must give the benefit package that is expected in that facility”
The state coordinator said the new authority act had been signed into law by the former president, Muhammadu Buhari on may 19th , hence the need for this stakeholders engagement which was specifically organised for enrollees so that they should know about the new act and equally interact and voice out their challenges whatsoever.
According to him, the new act was drafted in the favour of enrollees so that they can get the best of the authority.
Some of the participants during the engagement that spoke to Radio Nigeria said, the engagement had brought to lime light the rights, roles and responsibilities of enrollees and they felt satisfied now that there is an act checking the activities of health care delivery.
Also, the chairman of the stakeholder’s engagement, Abubakar Hammaadama commended the authority for organizing the meeting for the enrollees, saying it will go a long way in keeping enrollees up to speed in the activities of the agency.
During the meeting there were presentations on the NHIA act and its effects on the agency’s operation, Enrollee rights and responsibilities and Accessing care and referral system under the authority.
