In line with the new health insurance policy of the Federal Government which has made it compulsory for every Nigerian to be enrolled in the scheme, the Bauchi State Chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has commenced consultation with the State Health Contributory Agency (BASHCMA) with a view to fast tracking the process of enrolment of the State workers into the scheme.
The disclosure was made by the State Chairman of NLC, Comrade Danjuma Sale when members of a Bauchi-based Civil Society Organization (CSO), Journalists for Public Health and Development Initiative (J4PD) paid an advocacy visit to his office on Friday.
He reiterated the readiness of NLC to key into the Health Contributory Scheme but called for more enlightenment campaigns to recreate awareness of the scheme.
While commending J4PD members for their interest in the welfare of workers and their families, the NLC Chairman said urged the state government to fulfill its own part of the agreement by paying the counterpart funds into the scheme for smooth implementation of the process.
Danjuma Sale further implored the state implementing Agency to redouble its efforts in creating more awareness of the scheme in order to attract more clients to the health insurance scheme.
Earlier in her remarks, the Coordinator of J4PD, Ms. Elizabeth Kah informed the NLC Chairman that J4PD, in partnership with a USAID funded Project titled Strengthening Civic Advocacy and Local Engagement (SCALE), which is being implemented by the Center for Social Justice (CSJ), has developed an advocacy brief on the State Health Insurance program.
She said that it is an effort to give prospective clients, the state government, and other non-state actors an insight into the benefits of health insurance, which seeks to reduce out-of-pocket expenses for families.
Elizabeth Kah also said that globally, health insurance systems is viewed as the surest way to achieving universal health coverage (UHC) for all.
The J4PD Coordinator also appealed to the NLC Chairman and his management team to become champions of the Health insurance schemes not only to their immediate constituencies but taking the advocacy forward to private organizations, the informal sector, and even to the community level.
Recalled that J4PD had paid a similar visit to the Bauchi State Health Contributory Management Agency (BASHCMA), where areas of collaboration were explored.
During the visit, the Agency agreed to train members of J4PD on effective reporting of health insurance processes, while J4PD also offered to develop and air radio programs and jingles for the Agency as their contributions to more awareness creation on the scheme.
J4PD will in subsequent days to come, also pay similar advocacy visits to other key stakeholders in Bauchi State with a view to getting their buy-in into the health insurance scheme.
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Health insurance: Bauchi NLC commences consul to Key into Scheme, calls for more Enlightenment
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