The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), has said that the new act recently signed into law guarantees mandatory health insurance for all Nigerians.
Mrs Margaret Moffi, State Coordinator of NHIA in Cross River, disclosed this on Thursday in Calabar during a sensitisation meeting organised to enlightened stakeholders on the benefits of the NHIA programmes.
The meeting was also held to address other issues from stakeholders.
Moffi said that the new act, which was signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari on May 19 2022, made it mandatory for all Nigerians to have access to have health insurance irrespective of their locations.
According to her, the goal of the Authority was to ensure the attainment of universal health coverage in Nigeria.
She noted that NHIA has initiated programmes to ensure that state governments are in tandem with the activities of the Authority.
She explained that under NHIA GIFSHIP programme, an individual needs to pay the sum of N45,000 with a view of benefiting from the yearly healthcare service package which also guarantee such individual the leverage to add two beneficiaries under him/her.
The State Coordinator explained that a family needs to pay N60,000 for four persons while group programme starts from 10 persons which goes for N150,000 respectively.
“The new Act just started in May 2022; it is now mandatory for all Nigerians to enroll into the Authority because there is a law backing it now.
“We expect to see state governments and other top government officials coming up to get the group, individual, family and social health insurance programme for their constituents.
“Between May 2022 till date, we have about 300 persons who have come to enroll into the programme in Cross River,” she said.
Also speaking, Dr Godwin Iyala, Director General, Cross River Heath Insurance Authority, described health insurance as a “money saver” for the beneficiaries.
According to Iyala, health insurance provides a platform towards universal health coverage.
He lauded the NHIA for setting in place modalities for the seamless coverage of all applicants of the programme across the state.
Stakeholders at the sensitisation workshop included, medical practitioners from tertiary and secondary institutions, military/para military personnel amongst others. (NAN)
