The Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, has flagged off a Pro-Poor and Vulnerable Persons Social Health Insurance Programme aimed at giving free healthcare for one year to the poorest residents in the territory.
The Minister of State for FCT, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu while flagging-off the programme in Gwagwalada Area Council of the FCT, affirmed that the initiative was a strategy for enhancing social inclusion, and a demonstration of efforts to bringing succor and hope to the poorest of the poor and vulnerable households.
Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu was represented by the Acting Secretary of the Area Council Services Secretariat, Mrs. Omolola Olanipekun.
Olanipekun, while commending the programme said FCT administration is focused on making healthcare affordable and accessible to all.
“Efforts are now ongoing to ensure pregnant women and under-five-year-old children in the FCT are covered by the Health Insurance Scheme to further expand access to good quality and timely health services to these vulnerable groups,” she added.
Earlier, the Director of FCT Health Insurance Scheme, FHIS, Dr. M Ahmed-Danfulani highlighted the significance of the programme saying out of pocket spending has landed many Nigerians into extreme poverty.
He said while the FHIS has programmes for those who can afford, it will only be fair to create a programme for persons who cannot afford to pay.
“ we all talk about the Universal Health Coverage leaving no one behind, … there are still this bulk group of individuals in rural communities who don’t have enough money to even feed themselves not to talk of having health insurance, today in FCT is the beginning of a programme for this category of people wherever they are in the rural communities of FCT, we are going to all the nooks and cranny to ensure that the poor people that cannot afford 3 square meals in a day have access to at least free basic healthcare for one year”, he reiterated
Basic Healthcare Provision Fund
The Pro Poor and Vulnerable Healthcare programme which is a collaboration between the FHIS, Primary Health Care Board, the Gwagwalada Area Council and the Area Council Services Secretariat will be extended to other area councils of the FCT and will complement the Federal Government’s Basic Healthcare Provision fund BHCPF.
The programme considers three basic principle of Universal Health Coverage.
- The HCP must be available and accessible i.e. not too far away from the people.
- It must offer quality services that the people need in that environment (Adequate manpower, equipment and infrastructure)
- The people must not suffer financial hardship as a result of accessing healthcare.
The Primary Healthcare Board and the Area Council will handle items 1 and 2 while the 3rd will be the responsibility of the FCT health insurance Scheme.
The FHIS Director said an enrollee will enjoy a very robust service package almost equal to the formal sector package, including an opportunity for referral to secondary care facilities and major surgeries “completely free of charge”.
The Director explained that the beneficiaries were gotten through several consultations by relevant stakeholders in Gwagwalada Area Council.
“A meeting with relevant stakeholders involving Gwagwalada township clinic staff members, the market women and men, artisans, religious leaders and the youth groups in Gwagwalada”, he said.
The chairman of Gwagwalada Area Council, Alhaji Mustapha Adamu Danze who also doubles as the FCT ALGON chairman commended the FCTA for using Gwagwalada Area Council as the first Area council to benefit from the programme.
Dignitaries who graced the occasion included the Chairmen of Kuje and Kwali Area Councils, Alhaji Abdullahi Sabo and Mr. Danladi Chiya respectively.
