Report of the launch was contained in a statement made available to National Mirror by Head, Media and Public Relations Division of the NHIS, Ayo Osinlu.
The community-based health insurance is being canvassed by the scheme to ensure the realization of the 30 percent National coverage set for the scheme by President Goodluck Jonathan during Presidential Summit on Health Coverage which took place in Abuja in March, this year.
Speaking at the occasion, the Executive Secretary of the Scheme, Dr. ‘Femi Thomas who was represented by the Acting General Manager, Informal sector, Dr. Hamza Aliyu, stated that “CBSHIP is a veritable tool of reaching the very large informal sector of the country, which constitutes about 70% of the population”.
According to the NHIS Boss, the Scheme’s ultimate mandate is to achieve universal health coverage, by giving access to qualitative healthcare services to all Nigerians, irrespective of location, socio-economic status or any other factor, by eliminating financial and geographical barriers.
Thomas reiterated that the Scheme is ready to offer tangible support to any state and community that shows the will to log into the Scheme’s programmes.
He added that the Scheme had put in place programmes for the various sectors and segments of the society which would ultimately lead to the attainment of the objective of 40% coverage by 2015, and universal coverage by 2020. The statement quoted Medical Director, ECWA Hospital located in the Egbe community, Dr. Bert Ovbre, as describing Community Based Social Health Insurance as the best option for financing healthcare services in the rural areas of the country. According to him, the programme would work better if enrollees are properly enlightened on their roles, rights and obligations under the programme.
