The FCT Health Insurance Scheme (FHIS) has reiterated the need for all residents of Abuja to key into the health insurance scheme made available to them.
The agency made the call on Tuesday at the opening session of a two-day engagement with the media on the need to create more awareness of the scheme to residents of the FCT.
The Director of FHIS, Dr Ahmed Danfulani, who spoke on the overview of Universal Health Coverage (UHC), stated that availability of healthcare should not be based on availability of funding.
He reiterated the need for everyone to key into the scheme with meagre amount, adding that healthcare services must be made available to all on equity basis, without subjecting one to danger.
“We are working towards the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by 2030; the concept of UHC is well embedded in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“Part of the benefits of UHC is increase in life expectancy, reduction in mortality and morbidity rate, increase in total revenue and predictability of revenue for healthcare businesses, hospitals and pharmacies.
“There are also economic benefits of UHC such as increase in productivity, creation of business opportunities, reduction in unemployment and others,” Danfulani said.
Dr Amina Zakari, Deputy Director (Operations), FHIS, who emphasised more on UHC, said that the agency was determined to achieve UHC in the FCT through the FHIS.
She urged residents to access any hospital of their choice, adding that FHIS was present in almost all the hospitals in the FCT with just N13, 500 annual payments for all accommodated services of the scheme.
Mrs Moji Makanjuola, the Executive Director, International Society for Media in Public Health (ISMPH), spoke on the topic, Principles of effective journalism, communication/engagement for health/life.
She called on journalists to be alive to their responsibility of informing, educating and entertaining the public.
According to Makanjuola, the media has a role to play to encourage everyone to buy into the health insurance scheme, and that no one is immune of sickness, disease and death.
“No one is spared out of illness, everyone is subject to it, we must do all we can to always check on our health regularly.
“Many disease condition and death can be totally avoidable if we work towards that, Nigerian journalists must be alive to their responsibility of informing the public about basic needs of life, including health,” she stressed. (NAN)
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