Nasarawa State Government Restates Commitment To Achieving Universal Health Coverage
…Says Over 100,000 People Benefiting From Nasarawa State Health Insurance
The Nasarawa State Government has restated its commitment to achieving universal health coverage.
In a town hall meeting which held on Tuesday (December 13, 2022) in Lafia to mark the International Universal Health Coverage, the State Government said it has established the Nasarawa State Health Insurance as well as the Nasarawa State Drug and Supply Agency to make quality healthcare services more accessible to residents of the State.
Describing quality healthcare as a top priority of the current administration in the State, Nasarawa State Deputy Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Akabe, said the government is up-to-date with its payment to complement the capitation paid by civil servants under the insurance scheme.
Dr. Emmanuel Akabe who was represented by the State Commissioner for Health, Pharm. Ahmed Yahaya also disclosed that the Governor had recently directed that the appointment of all casual workers in the health facilities across the state be made permanent so as to improve healthcare services.
On his own part, the Commissioner for Health who was represented at the town hall meeting by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr. Janet Angbazo, added that the government had concluded plans to upgrade some medical facilities in the State to general hospitals.
In his remarks at the meeting, Dr. Gaza Gwamna, Executive Secretary of Nasarawa State Health Insurance Agency (NASHIA) revealed that so far, over 100, 000 Nasarawa residents have enrolled in the State health insurance scheme.
He added that the beneficiaries were registered under different packages such as public sector, informal sector, vulnerable and students among others.
He said since the programme was inaugurated in 2019, a lot of the enrolees had benefited from medical services with little challenges which the agency is working to address.
Gwamna also used the medium to call on healthcare providers to be professional in thier conduct and give thier enrolees the desired services in order to increase confidence of the people in the insurance scheme.
The Executive Secretary of NASHIA lauded Gov. Abdullahi Sule for the support to the agency to achieve the feat they have achieve did so far.
He also commended spirited individuals who adopted and paid for the indigents in their communities and called on others to emulate them.
He assured that the agency would continue to strive hard towards achieving universal health coverage.
Fatima Musa and Gono Clement who spoke on behalf of the beneficiaries, commended Gov. Sule for introducing the health insurance scheme in the State.
The duo said they have benefited from medical services and paid only 10 per cent of thier medical bills.
