By Wasilat Ahmad
As part of efforts to ensure quality and accessible health care for all in Niger state, the state government said it is targeting not less than 50 percent coverage heath care through its contributory health care programme in five years.
It said the goal was to establish a contributory health scheme that prioritise the health care service for all particularly the vulnerable as he expressed dismay over low lives expectancy due to poor health system in the country.
Speaking through the state commissioner of Health on Monday in Minna, during Deman side financing End of project Event, makusidi noted that “9000 people in 90 informal groups have enrolled for the Niger state Contributory Insurance Scheme (NiCare), stressing that the scheme would cover 52 different diseases and 171 health facilities have been accredited for the kick off of the scheme.
He also lamented over the reluctance of those in the formal sector to enrol for the insurance scheme appealing to them that the insurance scheme is real and not fake.
“This is not like the pension scheme or the housing scheme, this health insurance scheme is real and that is why we are kick starting the provision of services under the scheme in Feburay to enable the civil servants know that it is authentic”, he said.
On the challenges expected from the kick off of the scheme, Makusidi noted that 103 health facilities are being upgraded to meet up with the demands that may come when the scheme starts.
The Executive Secretary of the Niger State Contributory Health Insurance Scheme, Dr. Muhammed Usman said that all is on ground to ensure the successful kick off of the scheme in Febuary.
He said that the scheme would addreee the catastrophic health expenses that keeps people from accessing healthcare adding that the health insurance scheme is the only way to go in cushioning the people’s willingness to access healthcare services.
He appealed to everyone to patronuze the scheme urging the civil servants to embrace it especially as the government is backing up their contribution with 2.5 per cent of what they contribute.
The Country Director of Results for Development, Dr. Uweja Hope applauded the state government for its commitment towards improving the drive for the universal health coverage.
He said that the Results for Development and Health systems Consult limited have worked on the programme to increase financial access to quality health care services in abuser adding that the programme will further ensure that there is access to and utilization of priority health services by the vulnerable populations especially women, children and the poor.
