Enrolees in the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) have been assured of free healthcare services, including the elimination of a ten percent co-payment for medications.
Mrs. Mary Aliu, NHIS Nasarawa Coordinator, disclosed this to journalists in Lafia on Friday at a press conference on the scheme’s healthcare package for state corps members.
Under the package “Group Individual and Family Social Insurance Programme,” the Federal Government recently began enrolling corps members in the NHIS (GIFSHIP).
The GIFSHIP is planned to encompass the service year’s pre-orientation, orientation, primary assignment, and terminal leave periods, and is intended to expire with the completion of the youth service year.
According to Aliu, the NHIS package, which was developed in partnership with the NYSC, was designed to provide corps members with free access to basic health care services, just like other formal sector enrolees.
“Corps members enrolling will have access to all the formal sector services that are being provided by the NHIS, and they will not have to spend any money from their pockets,” she said.
Unlike other formal sector enrollees, corps member enrollees are exempt from paying the 10% co-fees and will continue to get free healthcare and medications from approved healthcare providers during their service tenure, according to the coordinator.
“With the formal sector programme, the enrolled pay 10 per cent co-payment at the point of the dispensation of drugs. That is 10 per cent of the total cost. But the corps members are not paying anything.
“That co-payment is totally eliminated. So, they go to the health centre, collect their consumables and go home,” she explained.
Aliu went on to say that the federal government had already paid for the package, and that corps members would soon be able to access free healthcare services in the state and across the country.
“I call on corps members to use this opportunity provided by the Federal Government to benefit from good healthcare services and not to abuse it,” she said.
The NHIS package for corps members is a laudable and fantastic idea, according to Mr Abdullahi Jikamshi, the NYSC Coordinator in Nasarawa state.
According to Jikamshi, the NYSC’s Director-General, Brig. Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim, established the health package, which, in collaboration with the NHIS, offers corps members with free and easy access to healthcare services delivery.
He promised that the NYSC administration will do everything necessary to ensure that those corps members who enrolled in the package have full access to free healthcare.
“As the corps members register, our management will get their details and send it to the NHIS for registration to enjoy the package. We will continue to sensitise all corps welfare and health services,” he said.
Mr Cosmos Abai, a state corps member, praised the idea, noting that the NHIS package will help to alleviate the financial strain of paying hospitals.
Another corps member, Miss Deborah Mokwe, spoke up to express her delight at the move and to say that the effort will help them address many of their health issues.
