Niger State government in North central Nigeria, has planed to take care of the poor and vulnerable groups as beneficiaries of its contributory health insurance scheme.
The Governor of the state Abubakar Sani Bello who stated this during the launching of the Niger State Contributory Health Scheme in Minna the capital of the State on Wednesday, mentioned that the government has set aside Equity funds from the Consolidated Revenue in the 2022 Budget appropriation for that purpose.
The Governor who further said the state took interest in introducing health insurance known as “Nicare,” to protect families and households from catastrophic out-of-pocket expenditures in seeking the much-needed healthcare services, implored the well-to-do in the society to support the vulnerable ones to have access to health care provisions.
“I also wish to encourage political leaders, well-to-do individuals in the state to support the enrolment process of the less privileged in our society as the 1% Consolidated Revenue set aside by the government for the programme may not be enough.
“Niger State Contributory Health Scheme was conceptualized as a vehicle for ensuring that all residents of the State, irrespective of their socioeconomic status, enjoy access to quality healthcare services without suffering undue financial hardship.”
The Governor added that the Nicare scheme is for both the formal and informal sectors which would be made compulsory for all residents.
The Governor commended all the various stakeholders that contributed to the success of the establishment and for the development of the health sector.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Muhammad Makusidi, who commended the Niger State government for the support in actualizing the objectives says, “The Niger State Contributory Health Scheme is a healthcare financing reform that would operate on the principles of harmony, risk-sharing and pooling of resources for the provision of affordable, accessible and qualitative healthcare to all Nigerlites on a sustainable basis.”
