NHIS cautions service providers against sharp practices

The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), cautioned service providers against engaging in sharp practices on Thursday.

The Nasarawa State Coordinator of NHIS, Mrs Mary Aliu, stated this in her opening remark at an NHIS Stakeholders’ Forum in Keffi.

Aliu reminded participants that the scheme was established to ensure that every Nigerian has access to good healthcare services in the country.

She further stressed that, the purpose of NHIS is to address the issue of out-of-pocket payment for healthcare services, improve Nigerians’ health status and strengthen the national healthcare delivery system.

“We are committed to improving the health status of Nigerians through our various policies and programmes. NHIS was established to provide Social Health Insurance in Nigeria.”

“Healthcare services are paid from the common pool of funds to guarantee the position of needed health services to persons that pay a token contribution at regular intervals.”

“The objective is to ensure that every Nigerian has access to good healthcare services and to protect families from the financial hardship of huge medical bills,” Aliu said.

She added some of the key goals of the scheme included removing financial barriers to access to healthcare services for Nigerians in order to reduce the burden of disease.

“The scheme will improve health indices of the people to achieve Universal Health Care by the year 2030,” she said.

Aliu also urged service providers to treat enrollees well at all times in order to improve their health status.

She commended Prof. Mohammed Sambo, the Executive Secretary of NHIS, for keying into different good health policies and programmes that have a direct bearing on the health status of Nigerians.

In his goodwill message, the Executive Secretary, Nasarawa State Health Insurance Agency, Gaza Gwamna, urged Nigerians to key into the scheme considering its benefits.

Gwamna who was represented by Tarbo Ernest, the Assistant General Manager, NHIS, also urged stakeholders to be up and doing.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the forum featured a paper presentation on ‘The Role of Stakeholders in NHIS
further reports that Health Maintenance Organisations, Nasarawa State Health Insurance Agency, security agencies and public servants among others attended the forum.

NAN