ABUJA – Mr Femi Thomas, Executive Secretary of National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), said the organisation had concluded plans to inaugurate programmes that would provide adequate health care to Nigerians in 2015.
Thomas told newsmen in Abuja that Nigerians in the rural areas would be given special attention while implementing the programmes.
He said the programmes were in line with the Health Act whose primary aim was to re-double the health benefits of Nigerians.
“We are developing programmes that will allow us to cover more people in the rural areas in 2015 and we are close to the national launch.
“When we talk of taking care of vulnerable people we make reference to about 70 per cent of the population.
“These programmes will not only handle the primary health care needs of the people but also emphasis on improving the maternal and new born health related issues.
“We are going to address the needs of pregnant women and children under the age of five to add to the already existing health programmes.
“When maternal and child health related issues are improved, it will go a long way in lifting the profile of the country health wise in the global landscape,” Thomas said.
The executive secretary also said that the NHIS had partnered with state governments to ensure that school pupils nationwide enjoyed healthy living.
“To engage school pupils in this health insurance programme, up to 20 state governments had already been involved.
“These states have shown interest by making provision for the programme in their 2015 budget,” he said.
It will be recalled that President Goodluck Jonathan had signed the Health Act on December.9, 2014, and the NHIS is to manage 50 per cent of the funds provided by the act.
