(NAN)
The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) has unveiled a handbook detailing all the drugs and services it provides, to make enrollees to have easier access to drugs and services.
The Executive Secretary of the NHIS, Prof. Mohammed Sambo, made the disclosure when he featured at the flagship News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja on Sunday.
According to him, the handbook, which is easily accessible on the NHIS website, contains detailed information on all drugs and services rendered by the company.
Sambo said: “one of the issues we have undertaken is to develop a booklet on all the services and drugs covered under the NHIS.
“So if you want to be sure of services and drugs covered by the scheme, you can visit our Website: www.nhis.gov.ng. We have uploaded the handbook which outlines all our services and the list of drugs covered.”
The executive secretary explained that “diabetes treatment and management is fully covered under the scheme but cancer is not fully covered, due to the cost of treatment.
“This is because of the proportion of money that is coming to the coffers of NHIS. So, with the premium we have, it will be very difficult for us to fully cover cancer through the funding of health insurance.’’
Sambo disclosed, however, that efforts were being made to create another initiative with support from other stakeholders to cover cancer treatment and management.
“We are creating another initiative which we call Catastrophic Fund within the NHIS so that we can get some part of money from the fund.”
The NJIS chief, who stressed that the fund was planned to specifically address terminal ailments, added that “some international agencies have indicated willingness to partner us.’’
According to him, the World Bank has also indicated its willingness to ensure that we establish the Catastrophic Fund.
“So, when we have such fund, we can move from limited coverage to advanced coverage, depending on how much is contributed into the fund.”
Sambo said also that the NHIS had been playing a key role in curbing the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria by supporting frontline health workers.
“We are involved in information, education and communication as well as complying with the safety rules as established by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.
“We are also looking at how to protect health workers and our workers within the environment. We are also agents of disseminating information to our enrollees as to how they can comply with all these restrictions.
“We are also part of the Ministerial COVID-19 response, where we are contributing immensely in the areas of policy development as well as strategies to combat COVID-19 in Nigeria.”
