Nasarawa establishes committee on Health Insurance Scheme

By Asma’u Ahmad

The Nasarawa State Government has constituted a technical committee to work out modalities for the establishment of a state Health Insurance Scheme.

The state Deputy Governor, Mr. Silas Agara, while inaugurating the committee on Friday in Lafia, said the scheme would facilitate access to quality and affordable healthcare service delivery in the state. He said the initiative would help the state to achieve universal health coverage and provide employment opportunities for the people.

Mr. Agara urged members of the committee to deploy their wealth of experience on the assignment to give the state the best. He also urged the committee to initiate a bill at the state House of Assembly within the next three weeks for consideration by the legislature. He pointed out that adequate provision had been made in the 2017 budget for the state Health Insurance Scheme.

The state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Daniel Iya, said health insurance was sure way of accessing affordable and quality healthcare services. Dr. Iya explained that the system was designed in such a way that beneficiaries would have a little percentage of their salaries deducted monthly for them to access health services when the need
arose.He, therefore, called for understanding and support of citizens toward the success of the scheme, when approved by the state assembly.