From Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has appealed to government and private institutions in the country to adopt the Group, Individual and Family Social Health Insurance Programme (GIFSHIP) as a dependable health insurance platform for retirees and other group of Nigerians.
The Edo State acting State Coordinator of the Authority, Mr Ehannire Theodore Osas gave the appeal during an advocacy visits to various institutions in the State.
He said the programme would provide a veritable tool to ameliorate the resultant financial health hardship mostly associated with huge medical bills for workers and retirees whom he said needed to be given a health insurance cover on retirement.
He noted that due to their age, retirees were more susceptible to illnesses and therefore, needed to be cared for.
At the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Mr Ehannire commended the facility for accommodating the highest number of enrollees in the State and urged the Management of the tertiary facility to strictly abide by the NHIA service and drug price lists and avoid arbitrary charges.
Responding, the Chief Medical Director of the UBTH, Prof Darlington Obaseki, thanked NHIA for the visit and applauded the Federal Government for the laudable health initiative which he said has given financial access to many vulnerable Nigerians.
He advised the authority to continue to tighten its enforcement mechanism in order to ensure services are provided according to the Operational Guidelines.
He also appealed to NHIA to help recoup debts owed the facility by various Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs).
Also speaking at the University of Benin, Mr Ehannire called for the upgrade of the University’s health centre to render secondary services like O&G, pediatrics, surgery and dentistry in order to attract more enrollees.
Responding, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Lilian Salami promised to look into the upgrade of the health centre and expressed her determination to continue to corporate with the authority for the successful implementation of its programmes especially the GIFSHIP which she described as a right step in the right direction.
She noted that the annual premium of N15, 000 for a subscriber would enable more Nigerians enroll into the health insurance programmes without any hardship.