By Hassan Zaggi
Cancer and other patients with terminal ailments which were hitherto excluded will soon benefit from health insurance services in Nigeria, the Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Prof. Mohammed Gambo, has disclosed.
He, however, said that the enrolment of such patients will depend on the agency having access to sufficient funding.
This is even as the NHIS boss has revealed that for the over 200 million Nigerians to have access to health insurance services, three trillion naira was required.
He reiterated that with sufficient funds in the health insurance pool, the Scheme will expand its benefit package to include medical conditions such as cancer, adding that the establishment of a Catastrophic Fund was being planned to specifically address terminal ailments.
He said that all processes to enroll members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) into the Scheme have been concluded and coverage will commence when the needed funds are available.
The elderly and other vulnerable Nigeria, Prof. Sambo noted, will soon get health insurance cover as the plans have reached an advanced stage.
On issues of affordable drugs, he expressed the optimism that the collaboration between his agency and drug manufacturers, in a plan that will effect direct supplies to hospitals, will ensure affordability and availability.
He revealed that the reforms initiated under his watch had brought stability to the Scheme and was rapidly steering it towards the attainment of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).Please can you help arrange this story in paragraphs.
