By Awayi Kuje (NAN)
The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) on Thursday cautioned service providers against engaging in sharp practices.
Mrs Mary Aliu, the Nasarawa State Coordinator of NHIS, gave the advice in her opening remark at a NHIS Stakeholders’ Forum in Keffi.
She reminded participants that the scheme was established to ensure that every Nigerian has access to good healthcare service in the country.
According to her, the purpose of NHIS is to address the issue of out-of-pocket payment for healthcare services, improve Nigerians health status and strengthen 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 (SHI) 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 financial hardship of huge medical bills,” she said.
He added some of the key goals of the scheme included removing financial barriers to access to healthcare services for Nigerians in order to reduce burden of disease.
“The scheme will improve health indices of the people to achieve Universal Health Care (UHC) by the year 2030,” she said.
Aliu also urged service providers to treat enrollees well at all times in order to improve on their health status.
She commended Prof. Mohammed Sambo, the Executive Secretary of NHIS, for keying into different good health policies and programmes that have direct bearing on the health status of Nigerians.
In his goodwill message, Dr Gaza Gwamna, the Executive Secretary, Nasarawa State Health Insurance Agency (NASHIA) urged Nigerians to key into the scheme considering its benefits
Gwamna, represented by Mr Abdullahi Ampule Musa , NASHIA staff urged stakeholders to be up and doing in order to ensure quality service delivery and for improved health status of Nigerians.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the forum featured a paper presentation on ”The Role of Stakeholders in NHIS” presented by the Nasarawa State Coordinator of NHIS.
NAN further reports that Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs), Nasarawa State Health Insurance Agency (NASHIA), security agencies and public servants among others attended the forum. (NAN)